Patent ID: RE39035

Claim:
A spinal rod coupler assembly providing four degrees of freedom for connecting a spinal rod to a vertebrae of a patient, comprising: a) a tubular coupler member having a longitudinal bore surrounded by a wall, the bore having a central axis and first and second end portions, the first end portion being open ended and internally threaded, the second end portion being closed; b) a plurality of openings through the wall of the tubular coupler member, each of the openings communicating with the bore; c) the plurality of openings including a first pair of openings aligning along a first line that intersects the central axis of the bore at generally right angles, and a second pair of openings aligning along a second line that intersects the central axis of the bore at generally right angles, the first and second lines being generally perpendicular to each other and spaced apart so that the periphery of the first pair of openings is spaced longitudinally from the periphery of the second pair of openings; d) the first pair of openings sized and shaped for receiving a spinal rod having a longitudinal axis, which can be aligned with the first line of the first pair of openings of the coupler body; e) an eyebolt having a shank portion with a central axis and an eye portion, the shank portion being insertable through the second pair of openings of the coupler body, aligning the central axis of the shank with the second line of the second pair of openings, the eye portion having an opening sized and shaped to mate with a selected fastener; f) an insert that fits within the bore, the insert having an outer surface that generally conforms to the shape of the bore, the insert having opposed, arc-shaped end portions with recesses for engaging the spinal rod the eyebolt shank portion; g) a set screw that threadably engages the internally threaded end portion of the bore so that the set screw tightens the assembly of the rod, insert, and eyebolt within the coupler member; h) whereby the coupler assembly provides for movement along four degrees of freedom which include a movement along and a rotation about the longitudinal axis of the spinal rod, and a movement along and a rotation about the central axis of the eyebolt shank when the assembly is being implanted in a patient.