Patent ID: 11864801
Assignee: SEASPINE, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 14:
15. A method of implanting an implantable connector system comprising the steps of:
providing a connector having a first receptacle, a second receptacle, and a first bushing positionable in the first receptacle, the first receptacle includes a front opening in a front side of the connector connected to a back opening in a back side of the connector, wherein an axis extends between the front opening and the back opening, wherein at least the front opening is a slot, wherein the slot includes a continuous closed periphery defined only by the front side of the connector and the slot intersects with an annular groove of the first receptacle formed within the continuous closed periphery defined by the front side of the connector and extending at least partially between and partially spaced from the front opening and the back opening;
axially loading the first bushing into the first receptacle along the axis in a first orientation;
pivoting the first bushing to a second orientation different from the first orientation after the first bushing in the first orientation is positioned in the first receptacle, and wherein the first orientation is perpendicular to the second orientation;
axially loading a first rod into the first bushing along the axis when the first bushing is in the second orientation;
inserting a second rod into the second receptacle;
threading a first fastener into a first threaded opening to engage the first bushing; and
threading a second fastener into a second threaded opening to engage the second receptacle.