Patent ID: 8709047

Claim:
A spinal stabilization device for stabilizing adjacent first and second vertebrae, comprising: a first structural member having a length for spanning from a spinous process of the first vertebra to a spinous process of the second vertebra, the first structural member including: a first side configured to face the spinous processes of the first and second vertebrae; a first end region configured to be positioned proximate the spinous process of the first vertebra; a second end region configured to be positioned proximate the spinous process of the second vertebra; an intermediate region located between the first end region and the second end region; a first spike extending from the first side proximate the first end region of the first structural member configured to penetrate into the spinous process of the first vertebra; and a second spike extending from the first side proximate the second end region of the first structural member configured to penetrate into the spinous process of the second vertebra; a second structural member having a length for spanning from the spinous process of the first vertebra to the spinous process of the second vertebra, the second structural member including: a first side configured to face the spinous processes of the first and second vertebrae; a first end region configured to be positioned proximate the spinous process of the first vertebra; a second end region configured to be positioned proximate the spinous process of the second vertebra; an intermediate region located between the first end region and the second end region; a first spike extending from the first side proximate the first end region of the second structural member configured to penetrate into the spinous process of the first vertebra; and a second spike extending from the first side proximate the second end region of the second structural member configured to penetrate into the spinous process of the second vertebra; and a connector extending from the intermediate region of the first structural member and configured to connect to the intermediate region of the second structural member, the connector configured to be positionable between the spinous process of the first vertebra and the spinous process of the second vertebra with the connector below the spinous process of the first vertebra and above the spinous process of the second vertebra when the first and second structural members are secured on opposite sides of the first and second vertebrae.