Patent ID: 8663283

Claim:
A system for stabilizing at least three vertebrae each having a spinous process, the system comprising: a flexible braid having first and second free ends and intermediate portions therebetween defining a length, said length of said flexible braid configured to form a single loop around the spinous processes of said at least three vertebrae; a first spacer configured to be interposed between the spinous processes of first and second adjacent vertebrae of the at least three vertebrae and having means for guiding first and second intermediate portions of the flexible braid, the guiding means comprising a first internal passage and a second internal passage, the first internal passage extending through the first spacer in a superior-inferior direction and located entirely on a first side of a median plane of the first spacer aligned with a median plane of the at least three vertebrae, the second internal passage extending through the first spacer in a superior-inferior direction and located entirely on a second side of the median plane of the first spacer aligned with the median plane of the at least three vertebrae, said first and second intermediate portions of the flexible braid passing, respectively, freely through the first and second internal passages with a portion of said flexible braid between the two intermediate portions positionable around the spinous process of the first vertebrae; and a second spacer configured to be interposed between the spinous processes of the second and third adjacent vertebrae of the at least three vertebrae, the second spacer including a braid-securing system through which the two free ends of the braid can be inserted and pulled, the braid-securing system allowing said free ends to be secured to the second spacer, with a third intermediate portion of the flexible braid between the first intermediate portion and the first free end extending from the first spacer to the braid-securing system of the second spacer, and a fourth intermediate portion of the flexible braid between the second intermediate portion and the second free end positionable around the third vertebra and extending from the first spacer to the braid-securing system of the second spacer.