Patent ID: 8123782

Claim:
An implantable spacer for placement between adjacent spinous processes, the adjacent spinous processes including a superior spinous process and an inferior spinous process, each of the superior and inferior spinous processes having two lateral surfaces, the implantable spacer comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side; a wing connected to the body and capable of movement with respect to the body, the wing comprising a first rotating member at the first lateral side of the body including a first pair of extension members having first longitudinal axes, a second rotating member at the second lateral side of the body including a second pair of extension members having second longitudinal axes, and at least one caming surface; an actuator assembly connected to the body, the actuator assembly comprising an actuator and a shaft connected to the actuator; wherein the actuator assembly is configured such that the shaft is accessible at the proximal end of the spacer, and the actuator is configured to move relative to the body to contact the caming surface of the wing to move the wing from a first position for insertion to a second position for stabilizing the spinous processes; and wherein the first longitudinal axes of the first pair of extension members are coincident with each other in the first and second positions, and the second longitudinal axes of the second pair of extension members are coincident with each other in the first and second positions.