Patent attributes
A pedicle-screw assembly has a screw having a threaded shaft extending along a screw axis and having a ball head. A body extending along a body axis is formed with an axially inwardly open screw-head seat in which the ball head can fit and with an oppositely axially outwardly open rod seat. A retainer fitted in the screw-head seat engages around the ball head and in the screw-head seat, and at least one pin extends radially of the body axis and seated in both the body and the retainer for pivoting of the retainer in the screw-head seat about a retainer axis substantially perpendicular to the body axis between a position with the body axis coaxial with the screw axis and a position with the body axis forming an acute axially outwardly open angle with the screw axis. The ball head is swivelable in the retainer.gget