Patent ID: 8377098

Claim:
A stabilization system for a first vertebra and a second vertebra of a human spine, comprising: a dynamic interbody device comprising: a first member having a first guide surface, wherein the first guide surface comprises an elongated slot that is curved along at least a portion of its length and that is configured to extend in a substantially lateral direction with respect to a sagittal plane of the human spine; and a second member having a second guide surface configured to engage the first guide surface of the first member, wherein the second guide surface comprises an elongated protrusion that is curved along at least a portion of its length and is configured to extend in the substantially lateral direction with respect to the sagittal plane of the human spine, wherein the elongated slot and the elongated protrusion are complementary to one another, wherein the elongated protrusion is configured to slidingly engage the elongated slot such that the elongated slot and the elongated protrusion are substantially parallel to one another along at least a portion of their lengths, and wherein sliding engagement of the elongated slot with the elongated protrusion guides movement in the substantially lateral direction with respect to the sagittal plane of the human spine of the first member along a curved path in the substantially lateral direction with respect to the second member as the elongated protrusion slides along the elongated slot to facilitate lateral bending of the first vertebra relative to the second vertebra when the first member and second member are positioned between the first vertebra and the second vertebra.