Patent ID: 8500779

Claim:
An interspinous process spacer having a longitudinal center axis, and being adapted to rest between adjacent processus spinosus such that the longitudinal center axis is transverse to a spine of a patient, comprising: a substantially conoid screw region; a head region; a spacer region; and a through-hole, wherein the screw region forms one end of the interspinous process spacer in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal center axis, includes a rounded distal portion and a proximal portion, and is adapted to be screwed into a processus spinosus interspace such that the distal portion enters the processus spinosus interspace prior to the proximal portion, an outer contour of the screw region tapering over a majority of the distance from the proximal end of the screw region to the distal end of the screw region; the head region forms another end of the interspinous process spacer in the longitudinal direction, includes a driver hole coaxial with the longitudinal center axis, and is adapted to couple with a tool to rotate the interspinous process spacer about the longitudinal center axis; the spacer region is formed in between the screw region and the head region in the longitudinal direction, a length of the spacer region in the longitudinal direction being greater than a width, measured in the same direction of inserting the spacer, of each of the adjacent processus spinosus; the through-hole extends along the longitudinal center axis and through the screw region, the spacer region, and the head region with exterior openings at far ends of the screw region and head region; and when the screw region is screwed and inserted into the processus spinosus interspace, the processus spinosus interspace between the adjacent processus spinosus is enlarged, and the spacer region is pinched by the adjacent processus spinosus such that the spacer is secured in the processus spinosus interspace.