Patent ID: 8029541

Claim:
A spinal implant comprising: a tether structure comprising upper and lower straps, and a pair of compliance members attaching the upper and the lower straps together, wherein the tether structure is adapted to encircle at least two spinous processes, and the compliance members elastically elongate to apply an axially oriented tension on the spinous processes as the spine undergoes flexion; and at least one cross-member coupled to opposed portions of the tether structure and positioned to lie between the spinous processes when the tether structure encircles said processes, wherein the cross-member is configured to allow extension of the spine to remain substantially unrestricted, wherein the cross-member is configured to bear minimal axial load when the spine is in extension, and wherein the at least one cross-member has a profile suitable for passage through an interspinous ligament, and wherein the cross-member is linearly compressible but not extensible such that the cross-member undergoes compression when the upper strap is pulled away from the lower strap thereby controlling inward motion of the tether structure.