Patent ID: 8246682

Claim:
A method of expanding a spinal canal of a patient having a vertebra having a lamina having first and second end portions, comprising the steps of: a) providing an expandable laminoplasty implant comprising i) a first end portion having a first throughhole, ii) a second end portion having a second throughhole, iii) an intermediate portion between the first and second end portions, the intermediate portion having an enclosed cavity, and iv) an inlet port in fluid connection with the enclosed cavity; b) securing the first end portion of the implant to the first end portion of the lamina; c) removing a segment of the lamina to form a prepared lamina having opposing faces defining a lamina space; d) securing the second end portion of the implant to the second end portion of the lamina; e) passing a flowable, hardenable composition through the inlet port and into the cavity of the implant, f) hardening the flowable, hardenable composition, wherein the step of securing the first end portion of the implant is performed prior to the step of removing a segment of the lamina.