Patent ID: 8394131

Claim:
An occipital system for securing distal ends of spinal rods to a patient's skull, said occipital system having a top/bottom and superior/inferior orientation and comprising: a plate having one or more apertures for receiving bone fasteners adapted for securing said plate to said skull; at least one rail extending outwardly from said plate; and at least one rod receptacle comprising a body portion, a vertical axis, and a receiver portion, said body portion defining a passageway which is encompassed by the body portion and slidably receives said rail therein, said receiver portion defining a cavity to receive a rod, and threads located above said cavity relative to the vertical axis and which receive a set screw, wherein at least a portion of said rail, said rod, and said set screw are contained within said rod receptacle, and wherein the passageway is disposed beneath the threads and the cavity relative to the vertical axis.