Patent ID: 8636783

Claim:
A method for assembling a monoaxial bone fastener system from a polyaxial bone fastener system wherein the polyaxial bone fastener system includes a collar having an upper portion with a slot formed therein to receive an elongated member, a lower portion having a socket formed therein and an opening having a relief with a predetermined non-circular shape in communication with the socket, and a first longitudinal axis extending through the upper and lower portions of the collar, the polyaxial bone fastener system further including a fastener member having a head portion to be received in the socket of the lower portion of the collar, a shank portion to be attached to a vertebra, and a second longitudinal axis extending through the head portion and shank portion of the fastener member, the head portion of the fastener member having a non-circular cross-sectional shape in a plane generally perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis, wherein the non-circular cross-sectional shape of the head portion of the fastener member corresponds to the predetermined non-circular shape of the relief at the lower portion of the collar, the method comprising: aligning the collar with the fastener member with the non-circular cross-sectional shape of the head portion registering with the predetermined non-circular shape of the relief at the lower portion of the collar when the second longitudinal axis of the fastener member is angled with respect to the first longitudinal axis of the collar; inserting the entire head portion of the fastener member into the socket through the opening in the lower portion of the collar; rotating of the head portion of the fastener member in the socket of the collar to orient the non-circular cross-sectional shape of the head portion of the fastener member in juxtaposition with an inner surface of the socket of the collar to prohibit movement of the head portion through the opening at the lower portion of the collar; and angulating the fastener member polyaxially relative to the collar within a defined range of motion.