Interspinous implant, tools and methods of implanting

Abstract

Devices, tools and methods for minimally invasive implantation of a dynamic interspinous implant device for distracting between spinous processes and providing dynamic stabilization. One exemplary device includes a main body including a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a first clamping mechanism having first and second jaws configured to clamp a spinous process of a first vertebra, and a second clamping mechanism having third and fourth jaws configured to clamp a spinous process of a second vertebra. The first, second, third and fourth jaws extend transversely from the shaft and at least two of two of the jaws are releasably mounted to the shaft and are mountable to and removable from the shaft by relative movement between the respective jaw and the shaft in a direction normal to a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The shaft has sufficient columnar strength to maintain distraction between the first and second vertebrae via the clamps, while also allowing at least one of the relative movements between the first and second vertebrae selected from the movements including lateral bending, flexion, extension and axial rotation.