Patent ID: 7918875

Claim:
An interspinous distraction device comprising: a body assembly configured to be disposed between adjacent spinous processes of the spinal column of a patient, the body assembly having a leading end and a trailing end in opposition to one another defining a thickness, the body assembly defining an axis extending between the leading end and the trailing end, the thickness having a size configured to permit the body assembly to be positioned in a gap between adjacent spinous processes, the body assembly having a top and a bottom in opposition to one another defining a height, the height having a size configured to permit the body assembly to be positioned in the gap between adjacent spinous processes, and the body assembly having a first side and a second side in opposition to one another defining a width, the width having a size configured to permit the body assembly to be positioned in the gap between adjacent spinous processes, wherein the body assembly has a size configured to maintain a separation of the adjacent spinous processes; a plurality of attachment arms extendable outwardly from the body assembly, at least one of the plurality of attachment arms being extendable outwardly in a direction transverse to the axis and being disposed closer to the leading end than the trailing end, and at least another one of the plurality of attachment arms being extendable outwardly in a direction transverse to the axis and being disposed closer to the trailing end than the leading end, the plurality of attachment arms configured to be disposed about a portion of each of the adjacent spinous processes and securely hold the body assembly in place relative to each of the adjacent spinous processes of the spinal column of the patient; and a fin structure fixedly attached to at least one of the top and the bottom of the body and extending outwardly from the body between the at least one of the plurality of attachment arms disposed closer to the leading end and the at least another one of the plurality of attachment arms disposed closer to the trailing end, the fin structure is disposed closer to the trailing end than the leading end; and the fin structure has a fixed projection distance from the body assembly that is adapted to stop the body assembly from further insertion into the gap, the at least another one of the plurality of attachment arms being disposed closer to the trailing end having a maximum projection distance from the body greater than the fixed projection distance; wherein at least a portion of at least one of the body assembly and the plurality of attachment arms comprises a non-planar friction surface disposed on a central weight bearing surface for engaging the adjacent spinous processes of the spinal column of the patient.