Patent ID: 8512380

Claim:
A spinal fixation system comprising: a cross-link connector, comprising a single-piece connector body including: a plurality of coupling ends each configured to fixedly engage a portion of an occipital-cervical rod; and a cylindrical member integrally spanning between said coupling ends to define said single-piece connector body, said coupling ends including a curved member that defines a cavity adapted to receive said rod, said cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape for permitting multi-axial bending of said cylindrical member in an infinite number of directions, wherein each of said coupling ends includes a threaded bore between a respective cavity and a central portion of said cylindrical member; and the occipital-cervical rod comprising: a plate portion defining a plurality of apertures; and an occipital-cervical rod portion configured for disposal in the cavity of the coupling ends; and wherein said cylindrical member includes a preformed arched between said coupling ends, and wherein said coupling ends have respective upper surfaces that are substantially planar with each other and said cylindrical member has an upper surface above said plane of said coupling end upper surfaces.