Patent ID: 8906066

Claim:
A method for stabilizing a spine, comprising the steps of: placing at least one plate member between an upper spinous process and a lower spinous process of a spine; and rotating at least one scissoring element coupled to the at least one plate member such that an upper end of the at least one scissoring element is initially positioned below an upper surface of the at least one plate member and, after rotating, the upper end of the at least one scissoring element extends beyond the upper surface of the at least one plate member, such that at least a portion of the at least one scissoring element contacts a first outer lateral surface of the upper spinous process, such that at least a portion of the at least one scissoring element contacts a second outer lateral surface of the upper spinous process opposite from the first outer lateral surface of the upper spinous process, such that at least a portion of the at least one scissoring element contacts a first outer lateral surface of the lower spinous process, and such that at least a portion of the at least one scissoring element contacts a second outer lateral surface of the lower spinous process opposite from the first outer lateral surface of the lower spinous process, wherein the at least one plate member comprises a first plate member and a second plate member, and wherein the step of placing at least one plate member between an upper spinous process and a lower spinous process of a spine comprises placing the first plate member so as to abut the upper spinous process and placing the second plate member so as to abut the lower spinous process.