Bone fixation system

A surgical fastener configured to be placed into a distal tip of a hand piece that is connected to a control unit capable of supplying electromagnetic radiation by way of laser through the hand piece, the surgical fastener comprising:

• a surgical fastener body that defines a proximal end and a distal end that is spaced from the proximal end along a longitudinal axis, the surgical fastener body including a first portion that at least partially defines the proximal end and a second portion that at least partially defines the distal end, the surgical fastener body further defining a bore that extends completely through the surgical fastener body along the longitudinal axis from the proximal end to the distal end, the bore being configured to receive a cutting mechanism such that the cutting mechanism is extendable through the surgical fastener body along the longitudinal axis;
• wherein the first portion of the surgical fastener body is transmissive to electromagnetic radiation and the second portion of the surgical fastener body is absorptive to electromagnetic radiation, such that upon absorbing electromagnetic radiation, the second portion of the surgical fastener body softens and is capable of deforming.