Patent ID: 8097019

Claim:
An implant system to facilitate in situ assembly of an implant for maintaining a space between adjacent spinous processes, the implant system comprising: a first wing attached to a shaft; the shaft extending along a central longitudinal axis and having a tissue expander section; the tissue expander section narrowing inward toward the longitudinal axis in a direction generally opposite the first wing; the shaft having a maximum cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a first spacer comprising a first tissue expander which can distract the adjacent spinous processes while the first spacer is sliding onto the shaft after the shaft has been positioned between adjacent spinous processes; the first spacer having a bore therethrough; the bore having a cross-sectional dimension at least as large as the maximum shaft cross-sectional dimension and the bore sized and configured to slidably receive the shaft therein such that the tissue expander section can pass entirely through the bore; a second spacer comprising a second tissue expander which can distract the adjacent spinous processes incrementally more than the first tissue expander while the second spacer is sliding over the first spacer after the first spacer has been positioned between adjacent spinous processes; a second wing which can slide onto the shaft after the shaft has been positioned between adjacent spinous processes; a fastening device which engages the shaft and the second wing to secure the second wing to the shaft.