Patent ID: 7695514

Claim:
An implantable device for stabilizing at least a portion of a spinal column, comprising: a) one or more implantable artificial facet joints, each of the said artificial facet joints configured to couple two or more adjacent vertebrae to restore function to one or more resected facet joints; b) one or more artificial ligaments configured to connect at least one vertebra coupled by one of the artificial facet joints to at least one additional vertebra not coupled by the artificial facet joint, each of the said additional vertebrae being adjacent to at least one of the vertebra coupled by the artificial facet joint, the one or more artificial ligaments being flexible to allow flexion of the additional vertebra relative to at least one of the vertebrae coupled by the artificial facet joint and to allow flexion of each of the vertebrae coupled by the artificial facet joint relative to at least one other of the vertebrae coupled by the artificial facet joint; c) one or more bone anchors coupled to at least one of the artificial ligaments for connecting the at least one artificial ligament to at least one of the vertebrae; and d) a connector that is attached to the artificial ligament, and which wraps around a portion of at least one of the vertebrae.