Patent ID: 7666208

Claim:
A posterior cervical vertebral stabilizing device for stabilizing adjacent first cervical (C 1 ) and second cervical (C 2 ) vertebrae with respect to each other in the spine of a patient, the device comprising: a top and a bottom and lateral sides extending between the top and bottom; an upper portion for positioning adjacent to the C 1 vertebra located relatively superior in a patient's spine and a lower portion for positioning adjacent to the C 2 vertebra located relatively inferior in the patient's spine, the upper portion forming a support for abutting the posterior surface of the C 1 vertebra and the lower portion forming a saddle for engaging a spinous process of the C 2 vertebra; and a posterior face and an anterior face, the anterior face being positionable adjacent to the C 1 and C 2 vertebrae of the spine; wherein the lateral sides define a plane and the upper portion and the lower portion both extend in a posterior direction from the plane, the anterior face of the lower portion extending further in a posterior direction from the plane than the anterior face of the upper portion.