Patent ID: 8685096

Claim:
A lumbar fusion interspinous implant device comprises: a pair of first and second body structures; the first body structure having a pair of outwardly curved appendages with enlarged rounded ends and an initial outward curvature, the appendages projecting from the opposite sides of the first body structure; the second body structure having a pair of outwardly curved appendages with enlarged rounded ends and an initial outward curvature, the appendages projecting from opposite sides of the second body structure; and wherein each of the enlarged ends of the appendages fit into sockets on an opposite first or second body structure, and the first and second body structures are longitudinally connected by a threaded fastener, wherein tightening of the threaded fastener moves the first and second body structures closer together in a longitudinal direction, thereby placing the enlarged ends in contact with the sockets of the opposite body structure, wherein when the enlarged ends are in contact with the sockets the enlarged ends are prevented from further movement past the socket in the longitudinal direction in response to further tightening of the threaded fastener; wherein the further tightening of the threaded fastener causes each appendage to deform and bend, thereby expanding radially outward in a central or mid portion of the device, the radially outward expansion increasing the distance between central locations on each appendage, said locations being spaced from the enlarged end; wherein the distance increase between each appendage is greatest at the central location of each appendage to provide the centrally expanding interspinous implant device with a curvilinear lift pattern.