Patent ID: 7670339

Claim:
A device for stabilizing bone comprising: (a) a tubular body that defines a longitudinal axis, said tubular body including: (i) a first tubular body region, (ii) a second tubular body region, and (iii) a spline region extending between the first tubular body region and the second tubular body region, and (b) an elongate control member disposed within the tubular body, the elongate control member: (i) having a substantially uniform diameter; and (ii) being non-threadably coupled with respect to the second tubular body region; wherein the spline region includes a plurality of splines movable between a collapsed state and an expanded state, each spline of said plurality of splines defining (i) a first spline end region coupled to the first tubular body region; (ii) a second spline end region coupled to the second tubular body region; and (iii) an intermediate spline region; wherein the spline region is substantially linear and substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tubular body when the plurality of splines are in the collapsed state; wherein the spline region in the collapsed state has a substantially uniform diameter; and wherein non-rotational, linear axial movement of the control member within the tubular body towards the first tubular body region causes the second tubular body region to be displaced axially linearly towards the first tubular body region, thereby causing each of the intermediate regions of the plurality of splines to buckle outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body to define the expanded state; wherein non-rotational, linear axial movement of the control member within the tubular body away from the first tubular body region causes the plurality of splines to move from the expanded state to the collapsed state; and wherein the control member is actuated within the tubular body by a user to axially move the control member within the tubular body.