Patent ID: 7833249

Claim:
An orthopedic fixation device, comprising: a hollow elongate shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, said hollow shaft forming a central lumen; a manifold at the proximal end of said shaft comprising at least one port; an inflatable member having a proximal end and a distal end, removably attached to the distal end of said shaft, the inflatable member sized to extend between a first vertebra and a second vertebra, the inflatable member having a deflated insertion configuration and an inflated fixation configuration; a hardenable media for inflating said inflatable member, wherein the hardenable media has a static compression within the range of about 100 to about 200 pounds in its hardened state for stabilizing at least one of the first and second vertebra and a high viscosity in the range of about 100 to about 500 cps in its original pre-hardened state; a valve, provided at the proximal end of said inflatable member; a first member having an aperture for receiving the inflatable member in the deflated configuration and for fixedly engaging the proximal end of the inflatable member in the inflated configuration; and a second member having an aperture for receiving the inflatable member in the deflated configuration and for fixedly engaging the distal end of the inflatable member in the inflated configuration.