Patent ID: 8292963

Claim:
An expandable medical implant for supporting skeletal structures comprising: a base having a first collar, a second collar, a core, a first end positioned at an upper-most portion of the first collar, a second end positioned at a lower-most portion of the second collar, and a cannula extending between the first and second ends along a length of the base, said first collar separate from said second collar and each collar is rotatably connected to said core; a first post having a proximal end that travels through the first end of the base and within the cannula and a distal end configured to engage a first vertebrae that extends beyond the first end of the base, the first post includes a first pair of symmetrical legs; and a second post having a proximal end that travels through the second end of the base and within the cannula and a distal end configured to engage a second vertebrae that extends beyond the second end of the base, the second post includes a second pair of symmetrical legs; wherein the core includes a separator extending across an interior of the base dividing a cross-section of the base into a plurality of wedge sections configured to intervene between all or part of the posts such that the first and second pair of symmetrical legs occupy opposite quarters of the base.