Patent ID: 8021429

Claim:
A deployable segmented interbody fusion support comprising a plurality of segments, said segments including a first leading segment, a final trailing segment, and at least one intermediate segment; said support having a gap between said first segment and said intermediate segment and between said final segment and said intermediate segment, the support including a connection portion coupling the segments together; a draw member coupled to said first segment and extending through said intermediate segment and said final segment and effective to pull said segments together into a generally arcuate configuration; a locking mechanism comprising an enlargement on said draw member and an aperture on said final segment for receiving the enlargement, the enlargement and the aperture configured to maintain said segments in said generally arcuate position; and a pulling member releasably coupled to said enlargement with an amount of force such that the pulling member is configured to pull the draw member and enlargement through the intermediate and final segments and upon application of additional pulling force on the draw member after pulling the enlargement through the aperture, the pulling member is released from the enlargement.