A method and system for surgical implantation of pedicle screws with a two degree of freedom (2-DOF) surgical device in a patient is provided herein. Images of a spinal column of a subject are acquired. Either two-dimensional orthogonal planar images or a 3-D model of the spinal column is generated. A pedicle plane on a pedicle of the spinal column for each of the pedicle screws to be implanted is defined and a trajectory for each of the pedicles screws to be implanted along the pedicle plane is determined. The 2-DOF surgical device assists the surgeon in implanting the pedicle screws in the pedicle of the patient based, in part, on the pedicle plane. An on-board indicator or monitor aids the surgeon in placing the pedicle in the remaining degrees of freedom.
