Patent ID: 8282683

Claim:
An expandable prosthetic implant for engagement between vertebrae, comprising: an inner member having a hollow interior portion and a threaded external portion and including a first end portion configured to engage a first vertebral body; an outer member having a hollow interior portion configured to coaxially receive the inner member therein and including a second end portion configured to engage a second vertebral body, wherein the inner and outer members are moveable relative to each other along a longitudinal axis; a gear member positioned coaxial to the inner member and outer member and axially fixed to the outer member and freely rotatable with respect to the outer member; a locking member received in the outer member, the locking member having at least one arm, an engagement member and a through-hole; wherein the gear member threadedly engages the threaded portion of the inner member, and wherein the gear member includes a plurality of cutouts capable of being engaged by the engagement member, wherein the first and second end portions are configured to respectively engage first and second vertebrae, wherein the implant is configured to engage the vertebrae such that first and second end portions are oriented in a predetermined alignment with respect to the first and second vertebral bodies, wherein the gear member includes gear teeth extending around the perimeter of the gear member, the gear teeth extending from a proximal end of the gear member to a distal end of the gear member wherein in a first position, the engagement member of the locking member is received in the cutout of the gear member preventing the gear member from rotating and in a second position, the engagement member of the locking member is not received in the cutout of the gear member allowing the gear member to rotate, wherein in the first position, the at least one arm is not flexed, and in the second position, the at least one arm is flexed.