Patent ID: 8187304

Claim:
A device comprising: a side wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the interior surface defines an inner space and the exterior surface defines a distractor tip engagement mechanism configured to engage a facet joint distractor; a pivot post having a pivot post axis substantially aligned with the distractor tip engagement mechanism, the pivot post secured to the interior surface of the side wall for pivoting about the pivot post axis; and a securement post having a securement post axis extending between a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the securement post is mounted to and configured to pivot about, or with, the pivot post, with the securement post axis arranged substantially orthogonal to the pivot post axis, so that the securement post is movable from an unsecured position with the first end and second end disposed within the interior space to a secured position with at least one of the first end and the second end extending beyond the exterior surface; wherein: the device is a facet joint fusion cage and the side wall of the facet fusion cage is flexible and is configured to flex upon receiving a pressure from the weight of a patient, so that the first and second ends of the securement post are extended through the side wall and into a facet joint of the patient by the pressure.