1. A surgical method comprising:
attaching a spinal rod system to an occipital bone, the spinal rod system comprising:
a first spinal rod;
a second spinal rod; and
a connecting element adapted to couple to the first and second spinal rod;
wherein the connecting element is configured for angulation of at least one of the first and second spinal rods.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein one end of the first spinal rod is coupled to an occipital plate.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein one end of the second spinal rod is coupled to a pedicle screw.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting element comprises a rotating locking plug.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting element further comprises an elongated opening for receiving the first spinal rod.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the connecting element further comprises a locking mechanism for locking the first spinal in a fixed position.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein the rotating locking plug is laser welded to the first spinal rod.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism is a set screw that when tightened compresses the rotating locking plug to fix the position of the first spinal rod.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the spinal fixation device is made of peek.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is a clamp.
11. A surgical method comprising:
attaching a spinal rod system to an occipital bone, the spinal rod system comprising:
an occipital rod having a first end and a second end; and
a spinal rod extending from a connection housing having a first end and a second end, the first end of the spinal rod being integral with a portion of the connection housing;
wherein the connection housing is configured with an elongated opening, a rotating plug, and a locking mechanism,
wherein the elongated opening is configured for mating with the first end of the occipital plate and the locking mechanism being adapted to enable the occipital rod to be locked in a fixed position.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second end of the occipital rod is coupled to an occipital plate.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second end of the spinal rod is coupled to a pedicle screw.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the rotating plug further comprises an opening for mating with the first end of the occipital rod.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the rotating plug is inserted into a bore through a central axis of the connection housing.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the locking mechanism for locking the occipital rod in a fixed position comprises a set screw locking mechanism.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the rotating plug is laser welded to the occipital rod.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the locking mechanism is a set screw that when tightened compresses the locking plug to fix the position of the first spinal rod.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the locking mechanism is a clamp.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second end of the occipital rod is coupled to an occipital plate.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1.-19. (canceled)
20. A drain connector arranged for mounting to a container having an interior volume, the drain connector comprising:
a drain flange defining a bore, the drain flange having a radially extending flange lip adapted for mounting to a wall of said container;
a hollow body arranged to slide within the bore to move between a first position to a second position, wherein the first position permits passage of material to or from the interior volume, and the second position inhibits passage of material to or from the interior volume; and
at least one circumferential sealing element disposed between the drain flange and the hollow body;
wherein the drain connector further comprises at least one of the following elements (a) and (b):
(a) a moveable locking collar that is selectively operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the first position, and operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the second position; and
(b) at least one flexible sealed jacket extending between an exterior portion of the drain flange and an exterior portion of the hollow body to provide a barrier arranged to inhibit passage of contaminants to the at least one circumferential sealing element from an environment exterior to the container.
21. The drain connector according to claim 20, comprising a moveable locking collar that is selectively operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the first position, and operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the second position.
22. The drain connector according to claim 20, comprising at least one flexible sealed jacket extending between an exterior portion of the drain flange and an exterior portion of the hollow body to provide a barrier arranged to inhibit passage of contaminants to the at least one circumferential sealing element from an environment exterior to the container.
23. The drain connector according to claim 20, comprising (a) a moveable locking collar that is selectively operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the first position, and operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the second position, and (b) at least one flexible sealed jacket extending between an exterior portion of the drain flange and an exterior portion of the hollow body to provide a barrier arranged to inhibit passage of contaminants to the at least one circumferential sealing element from an environment exterior to the container.
24. The drain connector according to claim 22, wherein the at least one flexible sealed jacket is retained against an external portion of the drain flange, is retained against an external portion of the hollow body, and is retained against an external portion of the locking collar.
25. The drain connector according to claim 21, wherein the drain flange comprises a first plurality of spring tabs disposed adjacent to at least one exterior surface of the hollow body, and wherein the locking collar is positionable to bias the first plurality of spring tabs to compressively engage a portion of the hollow body.
26. The drain connector according to claim 25, wherein the hollow body comprises at least one feature arranged to receive portions of the first plurality of spring tabs.
27. The drain connector according to claim 26, wherein the at least one feature comprises a first feature arranged as a first travel stop to inhibit motion of the hollow body in a first direction, and a second feature arranged as a second travel stop to inhibit motion of the hollow body in a second direction.
28. The drain connector according to claim 20, wherein the drain flange is affixed to a wall of a container defining an interior volume, and a portion of the hollow body is arranged to travel into the interior volume when the hollow body is arranged in the first position.
29. The drain connector according to claim 20, wherein the at least one circumferential sealing element comprises at least one first and at least one second circumferential sealing element, and the hollow body includes a closed end proximate to the radially extending flange lip, an open end distal from the radially extending flange lip, and an exterior surface defining at least one passage that extends into an open core of the hollow body, wherein the at least one passage is disposed between the at least one first and the at least one second circumferential sealing element.
30. The drain connector according to claim 20, wherein each of the hollow body and the drain flange comprises polymeric material.
31. The drain connector according to claim 20, wherein the hollow body comprises a closed end that is arranged substantially flush with a top surface of the drain flange when the hollow body is arranged in the second position.
32. A processing bag comprising a polymeric film material and a drain connector according to claim 20 mounted to a wall of said processing bag.
33. The processing bag according to claim 32, wherein the drain connector is mounted to a bottom wall of said processing bag, wherein the flange lip comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein the lower surface of the flange lip is attached to the bottom wall of said processing bag.
34. A method utilizing a drain connector mounted to a container having an interior volume, the drain connector comprising a drain flange defining a bore, a hollow body arranged to slide within the bore to move between a first position to a second position, wherein the first position permits passage of material to or from the interior volume, and the second position inhibits passage of material to or from the interior volume, and at least one circumferential sealing element disposed between the drain flange and the hollow body, the method comprising:
moving the hollow body relative to the drain flange from the second position to the first position; and
operating a moveable locking collar to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the first position.
35. The method according to claim 34, further comprising unlocking the locking collar, moving the hollow body relative to the drain flange from the first position to the second position, and operating the locking collar to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the second position.
36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the drain flange comprises a first plurality of spring tabs disposed adjacent to at least one exterior surface of the hollow body, and the locking collar is operable to bias the first plurality of spring tabs to compressively engage a portion of the hollow body.
37. A method of fabricating a container for processing substances and comprising an interior volume, the method comprising:
affixing at least one drain flange to a wall of the container, the at least one drain flange defining a bore of predetermined size;
individually selecting for each drain flange of the at least one drain flange, from a plurality of hollow bodies having different outlet sizes, a hollow body of desired outlet size and arranged to move within the bore to selectively affect passage of material to or from the interior volume;
for each drain flange of the at least one drain flange, inserting the selected hollow body of desired outlet size into the bore, with at least one circumferential sealing element disposed between the drain flange and the hollow body; and
applying at least one sealed jacket extending between an exterior portion of the drain flange and an exterior portion of the hollow body to provide a barrier arranged to inhibit passage of contaminants to the at least one circumferential sealing element from an environment exterior to the container.
38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising sterilizing the container together with the at least one drain flange and the hollow body inserted into each drain flange of the at least one drain flange.
39. The method according to claim 37, wherein:
the hollow body is arranged to slide within the bore to move between a first position to a second position, wherein the first position permits passage of material to or from the interior volume, and the second position inhibits passage of material to or from the interior volume; and
the method further comprises applying a moveable locking collar that is selectively operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the first position, and operable to maintain the hollow body relative to the drain flange in the second position.
40. The method according to claim 37, wherein each hollow body of the plurality of hollow bodies includes at least an upper portion with a maximum outer diameter that is no larger than an inner diameter of the bore of the corresponding drain flange.
41. A method utilizing a drain connector mounted to a container having an interior volume, the drain connector comprising drain flange defining a bore, a hollow body arranged to move within the bore from (i) a first position that permits passage of material to or from the interior volume to (ii) a second position that inhibits passage of material to or from the interior volume, and at least one circumferential sealing element disposed between the drain flange and the hollow body, the method comprising:
blocking passage of contaminants to the at least one circumferential sealing element from an environment exterior to the container utilizing at least one sealed jacket extending between an exterior portion of the drain flange and an exterior portion of the hollow body to provide a barrier arranged to block said passage of contaminants; and
moving the hollow body relative to the drain flange between the second position and the first position, wherein the sealed jacket is arranged to permit said movement of the hollow body while maintaining said barrier arranged to block said passage of contaminants.