Surgical band clamp system

A connector for securing a spinal rod to a bone structure, the connector comprising:

• a base having a band entry channel and a band friction surface, wherein the band entry channel comprises a band entrance opening in a bottom surface of the base, wherein the bottom surface is adapted to engage against the bone structure;
• a threaded post fastened to the base, such that the base cannot translate in the distal/proximal direction relative to the threaded post;
• a nut on the threaded post;
• an upper housing section between the nut and the base, having an upper rod channel portion;
• and
• a lower housing section between the upper housing section and the base, having
• a lower rod channel portion that forms a partially cylindrical rod channel in combination with the upper rod channel portion while providing a lateral opening in a lateral side of the partially cylindrical rod channel, and
• a band friction counter-surface that forms a pair of band exit channels contiguous with the band entry channel in combination with the base,
• wherein the pair of band exit channels are positioned adjacent a first side of the connector, the lower rod channel and upper rod channel are positioned adjacent a second side of the connector, and the first side is opposite to the second side;
• wherein tightening the nut imparts compressive force on the upper section with a distal vector, which causes the upper section to exert compressive force on the lower section with a distal vector, which in turn causes the lower section to exert compressive force on the base with a distal vector.

A method of anchoring a spinal rod housing to a bone structure, the method comprising:

• positioning a flexible band around a bone structure to make contact between a middle portion of the band and said bone structure;
• connecting a pair of terminal portions of the flexible band to a connector, the connector comprising a pair of band channels and the spinal rod housing, wherein each of the pair of terminal portions is in a respective band channel, wherein the spinal rod housing comprises a spinal rod channel comprising a lateral opening therein at a first side of the connector, the pair of band channels are positioned between the spinal rod channel and a second side of the connector, and wherein the first side of the connector is an opposite side to the second side of the connector wherein each band channel comprises a band channel entrance opening positioned on a bottom surface of the connector;
• increasing tension on the flexible band in an amount sufficient to cause contact between the bottom surface of the connector and the bone structure and sufficient to restrict movement of the connector relative to the bone structure;
• locking each of the terminal portions of the flexible band to the connector by narrowing each of the band channels to prevent release of the tension;
• positioning a spinal rod within the spinal rod channel by sliding the spinal rod into the spinal rod channel via the lateral opening;
• and
• immobilizing the spinal rod in the spinal rod housing to prevent movement of the connector relative to the spinal rod.