Minimally invasive spinal stabilization system

A suture guide assembly including

• a suture leader having a conical tip and an eyelet protruding from the conical tip, the eyelet having an opening transverse to a longitudinal axis of the conical tip and configured to retain a suture, and
• a guide tool including pivotably-joined first and second arms, the first arm terminating at a first end in a male suture guide, the second arm terminating at a first end in a female suture guide,
• wherein the male and female suture guides are configured to permit the suture leader to be passed from the male suture guide to the female suture guide upon movement of the first and second arms between an open position in which the male and female suture guides are spaced apart at least a distance between two adjacent vertebrae and a closed position in which the male and female suture guides are adjacent.