Patent ID: 8366746

Claim:
A rod extender for extending an original rod, the rod extender comprising: a rod extension base; and at least one arm attached to the rod extension base, wherein the at least one arm is configured to extend over an end of the original rod, to fit into the rod receiving portion of the last pedicle screw of the original rod, and to create an in-line joint which is substantially longer than wide or tall, and taller than wide, and which is positioned at least partially within said receiving portion so that said in-line joint is capable of being secured with the set screw of the last pedicle screw of the original rod, and wherein the at least one arm has a bottom surface which is adjacent to the original rod and which has a curvature similar to that of the original rod, and a top surface which has at least one flattened portion causing the cross section of the at least one arm to be greater, than if the top surface would be entirely curved, such that the mass and thus the strength of the at least one arm is increased without increasing the thickness or the width of the at least one arm and without causing the set screw to sit higher.