A surgical connection device for connecting a first rod element to a second rod element in one or more relative orientations, in particular two, wherein the connection device comprises a main body with a first connection region for the first rod element and a second connection region for the second rod element, wherein at least three receiving openings are formed in the main body, wherein at least one receiving opening is arranged in each connection region (36, 38) and at least one connection region (36, 38) has two or more receiving openings with different axes (48, 50, 52, 54) from one another, into which receiving openings the rod element (14, 16) is insertable selectively, and wherein in each connection region (36, 38) there is arranged a fixing element for fixing the respective rod element (14, 16) at the connection region (36, 38) in a fixing direction, and wherein one of the receiving openings is formed in a first surface portion of the main body, the receiving opening edge of which receiving opening has an aperture, which extends from the first surface portion to an adjacent, angled second surface portion of the main body, for inserting the rod element (14, 16) into the receiving opening starting from the second surface portion and through the aperture, in an insertion direction transverse to the axis of the receiving opening and transverse to the fixing direction, characterized in that the receiving opening in the first surface portion forms or comprises a recess with respect to the aperture, into which recess the rod element (14, 16) is insertable and therein fixable by means of the fixing element, in that in the second surface portion there is formed a second receiving opening with a receiving opening edge which has the aperture for inserting the rod element (14, 16) into the second receiving opening starting from the first surface portion and through the aperture, transversely to the axis of the second receiving opening, and in that the second receiving opening forms or comprises a recess with respect to the aperture, into which recess the rod element (14, 16) is insertable and therein fixable by means of the fixing element. and wherein one of the receiving openings is formed in a first surface portion of the main body, the receiving opening edge of which receiving opening has an aperture, which extends from the first surface portion to an adjacent, angled second surface portion of the main body, for inserting the rod element (14, 16) into the receiving opening starting from the second surface portion and through the aperture, in an insertion direction transverse to the axis of the receiving opening and transverse to the fixing direction, characterized in that the receiving opening in the first surface portion forms or comprises a recess with respect to the aperture, into which recess the rod element (14, 16) is insertable and therein fixable by means of the fixing element, in that in the second surface portion there is formed a second receiving opening with a receiving opening edge which has the aperture for inserting the rod element (14, 16) into the second receiving opening starting from the first surface portion and through the aperture, transversely to the axis of the second receiving opening, and in that the second receiving opening forms or comprises a recess with respect to the aperture, into which recess the rod element (14, 16) is insertable and therein fixable by means of the fixing element.