Patent ID: 8894710

Claim:
A method of treating a patient's vertebral structure, comprising: a. providing a spinal implant having i. a first member having a first pressure applying surface for engaging an end of a first adjacent vertebral body, ii. a second member having a second pressure applying surface for engaging an end of a second adjacent vertebral body, iii. at least one extendable support element having a contracted configuration within the implant to facilitate deployment of the implant between the first and second adjacent vertebral bodies and an extended configuration to extend the first member to engage the end the first adjacent vertebral body, wherein the at least one extendable support element comprises a piston within a cylinder; and iv. a locking system with a locking element for locking the implant in an extended configuration by engaging the extendable support element or the first member with the locking element; b. inserting the spinal implant into a space between two adjacent vertebral bodies in the contracted configuration; c. extending the first and second members by delivering a fluid under pressure to expand the piston outwardly within the cylinder so as to expand the implant until the first pressure applying surface engages an end of the first adjacent vertebral body and urges the vertebral body into a desired position; and d. locking the implant in the extended configuration by moving the locking element into engagement with the extendable support element or the first member so as to fix the implant between the first and second adjacent vertebral bodies in an expanded configuration.