Patent ID: 8470008

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a fastener having a proximal head and a vertebral engaging portion extending distally from the head; a connecting body defining a receptacle extending between a first opening and a second opening, the first opening having a plurality of threads, the head of the fastener being movably supported within the receptacle with the vertebral engaging portion extending distally through the second opening, the connecting body including a supporting member defining an inwardly extending flange extending about the second opening which is sized smaller than the head of the fastener to maintain the head within the receptacle; and a post having an elongated body including a proximal portion extending proximally from the first opening of the connecting body, a distal engagement end, and an adjusting portion between the proximal portion and the engagement end, the distal engagement end sized smaller than the first opening in the connecting body to permit insertion of the distal engagement end through the first opening and into the receptacle, the adjusting portion engaging the threads at the first opening of the connecting body and being movable therealong to move the engagement end in the receptacle distally toward the head of the fastener and into engagement with the head to substantially fix the head of the fastener in the connecting body adjacent the second opening of the body and with the head urged distally toward the inwardly extending flange by the engagement end of the post and into compressed engagement against the inwardly extending flange of the connecting body to substantially prevent movement of the fastener with respect to the post and the connecting body; and wherein the post includes a plurality of posts with at least one of the plurality of posts having a proximal portion with a threaded outer surface extending therealong and another of the plurality of posts having a proximal portion with a smooth outer surface extending therealong.