Patent ID: 7655025

Claim:
A surgical implant for use with at least one pedicle screw comprising: a first rod member including a beam; a second monolithic rod member including an opening sized to circumferentially receive said beam, said second monolithic rod member including an interior hollow chamber for longitudinally receiving at least a portion of said beam, said second monolithic rod member including an upper arm and an opposing lower arm, said upper arm and said opposing lower arm spaced apart by a slot wherein said slot is contiguous with said interior hollow chamber, and wherein said upper arm is moveable to contact said beam and compress said beam between said upper arm and said opposing lower arm; and means for tightening said second monolithic rod member to secure said beam within said second monolithic rod member, wherein said means for tightening also operates to secure said second monolithic rod member to the at least one pedicle screw; and wherein the at least one pedicle screw intercepts a longitudinal axis of said beam.