Patent ID: 8292922

Claim:
An implantable spacer for placement between adjacent interspinous processes in a spinal motion segment comprising: a body defining a longitudinal passageway and a longitudinal axis; a first arm and a second arm connected to the body and capable of rotation with respect to the body; each arm having a pair of extensions spaced apart from one another to define an opening between the extensions, the opening being configured to receive a spinous process; each arm having a proximal camming surface; an actuator assembly connected to the body; the actuator assembly comprising an actuator having a proximal end and a distal end; the actuator having at least one bearing surface at the distal end configured to engage each camming surface; the actuator is connected to the body and configured to move inside the longitudinal passageway relative to the body to contact each camming surface with the at least one bearing surface and thereby move the arms from an undeployed configuration in which the arms are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body to a deployed configuration in which the arms are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body to contain adjacent spinous processes in each arm when in the deployed configuration.