Patent ID: 8062368

Claim:
A vertebral implant that positions first and second vertebral members within a patient comprising: a first end member; a second end member; an inflatable cage positioned between the first and second end members that includes a port that leads into an enclosed interior space adapted to contain an injectable substance, the cage including a plurality of inflatable rod portions and a plurality of crosslink members; the cage positionable between a collapsed state with a first reduced height to facilitate insertion between the first and second vertebral members and an extended state with a second height greater than the first height that positions the first end member against the first vertebral member and the second end member against the second vertebral member to maintain an intervertebral axial space; in the extended state, the plurality of rod portions extend between the first and second ends members and the plurality of crosslink members extend transverse to the plurality of rod portions, the plurality of rod portions and crosslink members being spaced apart by gaps and exposed within the patient.