Patent ID: 8252029

Claim:
An interspinous process spacer for maintaining separation between adjacent superior and inferior spinous processes of two adjacent vertebrae when in a deployed configuration, the interspinous process spacer comprising: a first lateral portion, a second lateral portion, and a medial portion therebetween; wherein the medial portion is adapted to reside between the adjacent superior and inferior spinous processes in the deployed configuration to maintain separation therebetween; wherein the first and second lateral portions each comprise a superior lateral portion adapted to reside on the lateral side of the superior spinous process in the deployed configuration and an inferior lateral portion adapted to reside on the lateral side of the inferior spinous process in the deployed configuration to maintain positioning of the interspinous process spacer between the two adjacent vertebrae; wherein the first and second lateral portions each comprise an expandable lateral member that is expandable from an insertion configuration to the deployed configuration; and wherein at least one of the first and second lateral portions comprises a separate lateral support member disposed inside an interior of the expandable lateral member, the lateral support member configured to be deformable for the insertion configuration and expanded in the deployed configuration.