Patent ID: 8348977

Claim:
A device to provide an inferior support for an interspinous implant between an L5 vertebra and a spinous process of a sacrum, the device comprising: first and second lateral extensions configured to be secured to the sacrum; a first section that extends outward in a posterior direction from the first lateral extension when the first lateral extension is mounted to the sacrum; a second section that extends outward in the posterior direction from the second lateral extension when the second lateral extension is mounted to the sacrum; a bearing face extending between the lateral extensions and connected to each of the first and second sections, the bearing face having a height in an anterior-posterior direction greater than the spinous process of the sacrum and oriented in a superior direction when the device is mounted to the sacrum to support the interspinous implant; a recess formed and enclosed on a superior side by the bearing face and on the lateral sides by the first and second faces, the recess including a first open side oriented in an anterior direction when the device is mounted to the sacrum to receive the spinous process of the sacrum and a second open side oriented in an inferior direction when the device is mounted to the sacrum, wherein the first open side and the second open side are in communication with each other; the bearing face having a width that is smaller than the second open side.