Patent ID: 8348952

Claim:
A method of cooling a spinal correction device comprising a shape memory material, comprising the steps of: inserting in a body of a patient a spinal correction device comprised at least partially of a shape memory material; applying a cold gas to the spinal correction device when implanted in the body of the patient to transition at least a portion of the shape memory material from an austenitic state to a martensitic state; sensing a temperature of the shape memory material of the spinal correction device where the cold gas is applied; and adjusting the applying the cold gas to the spinal correction device based on the sensed temperature of the shape memory material; adjusting a shape of the spinal correction device transitioned to the martensitic state to match a spinal deformity of the patient; inserting the shaped spinal correction device in receiving portions fixed to vertebrae of the patient; and heating the spinal correction device inserted in the receiving portions to transition the spinal correction device from the martensitic state into the austenitic state and to apply corrective forces to the vertebrae of the patient, wherein the spinal correction device has a corrected shape of the vertebrae in the austenitic state.