Patent ID: 8252026

Claim:
A spinal implant for use in connection with the facet joints of an adjacent pair of vertebrae, the implant comprising; a frame sized to extend between two immediately adjacent vertebrae on the posterior side of a spine, wherein the two immediately adjacent vertebrae are separated by a single intervertebral disc, the frame comprising: a single piece body having: a first anchor point having a first pair of projections extending from the single piece body, the first pair of projections defining a first U-shaped opening at a first end of the single piece body, the first anchor point being configured to be anchored to the spinous process of one of the two immediately adjacent vertebrae; a second anchor point having a second pair of projections extending from the single piece body, the second pair of projections defining a second U-shaped opening at a second end of the single piece body, the second anchor point extending longitudinally from the first anchor point and being configured to be anchored to the spinous process of the other one of the two immediately adjacent vertebrae, wherein each of the first and second U-shaped openings is configured to receive a spinous process; and a longitudinal link extending between the first and second anchor points; a third anchor point spaced laterally from the first and second anchor points and configured to be anchored to a facet of one of the two immediately adjacent vertebrae; and a first cantilevered arm extending between the longitudinal link and the third anchor point, wherein the first cantilevered arm includes an end configured to be received into a corresponding receiving opening in the longitudinal link.