Patent ID: 6840940

Claim:
An orthopedic rod implantation apparatus having screws and coupling elements, comprising: at least one elongate rod; and a plurality of screw and coupling element assemblies, wherein at least one of the assemblies comprises: a screw that has a head and a shaft that extends from the head; a coupling element that has a seat within which the head can be seated such that the shaft protrudes from the coupling element; and a locking element that can be mated with the coupling element and that thereafter can be selectively moved through a plurality of positions including an unlocked position and a locked position; wherein: when the locking element is in the unlocked position: the locking element presents a rod-receiving channel, and the head is movable in the seat such that the shaft can be directed in a plurality of angles relative to the coupling element; and when the locking element is in the locked position: the rod, if disposed within the rod-receiving channel, is fixed relative to the coupling element, and the head is immovable in the seat such that the shaft is fixed at an angle relative to the coupling element; wherein the selective movability of the locking element is provided by the locking element being selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the rod through the plurality of positions.