INTER-VERTEBRAL ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE PLACEMENT

1 .- 5 . (canceled)

6 . A method for fixation of at least a first vertebral bone, a second vertebral bone and a third vertebral bone, said method comprising:

positioning a first implant onto a posterior aspect of said first vertebral bone and said second vertebral bone, said first implant comprising:

at least four bone abutment surfaces, a first abutment surface attached to a second abutment surface via a first interconnecting member, a third abutment surface attached to a fourth abutment surface via a second interconnecting member, said first and third bone abutment surfaces being aligned to substantially face one another, and said second and fourth bone abutment surfaces being aligned to substantially face one another;

a third interconnecting member configured to movably couple said first and said second interconnecting members; and

a first locking mechanism disposed at an intersection of said third interconnecting member and said first interconnecting member and configured to transition to a configuration that limits movement between said third interconnecting member and said first interconnecting member;

advancing said first bone abutment surface of said first implant onto a first side of a spinous process of said first vertebral bone, and said third bone abutment surface of said first implant onto an opposing second side of said spinous process of said first vertebral bone;

advancing said second bone abutment surface of said first implant onto a first side of a spinous process of said second vertebral bone, and said fourth bone abutment surface of said first implant onto an opposing second side of said spinous process of said second vertebral bone;

applying a compressive force onto said first implant, said force causing entrapment of said spinous process of said first vertebral bone between said first and third bone abutment surfaces, and causing entrapment of said spinous process of said second vertebral bone between said second and fourth bone abutment surfaces;

actuating said first locking mechanism of said first implant to rigidly immobilize said first interconnecting member to said third interconnecting member;

positioning a second implant onto a posterior aspect of said second vertebral bone and said third vertebral bone, said second implant comprising:

at least two bone abutment surfaces being aligned to substantially face one another, a first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces comprising an extension configured to couple onto said third bone abutment surface of said first implant, said coupling transitioning from a first state to a second state, said first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces being movable relative to said third bone abutment surface of said first implant when said coupling is in said first state, and being rigidly affixed to said third bone abutment surface of said first implant when said coupling is in said second state;

at least one interconnecting member configured to movably couple said at least two bone abutment surfaces; and

at least one locking mechanism configured to transition to a configuration that limits movement between said at least two bone abutment surfaces;

advancing said first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces of said second implant onto a first side of a spinous process of said third vertebral bone, and a second one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces of said second implant onto an opposing second side of said spinous process of said third vertebral bone;

coupling said extension of said first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces of said second implant onto said third abutment bone abutment surface of said first implant;

applying a compressive force onto said second implant, said force causing entrapment of said spinous process of said third vertebral bone between said at least two bone abutment surfaces of said second implant;

actuating said at least one locking mechanism of said second implant to rigidly immobilize said at least two bone abutment surfaces relative to one another; and

actuating said at least one interconnecting member of said second implant to rigidly affix said first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces of said second implant onto said third bone abutment surface of said first implant.

7 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein said compressive force applied to said first implant is provided by a separate instrument.

8 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein said compressive force applied to said second implant is provided by a separate instrument.

9 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein one or more bone abutment surfaces of said first implant further comprise one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

10 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein one or more bone abutment surfaces of said second implant further comprise one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

11 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein said third interconnecting member is positioned to cross a mid-sagittal plane that bisects said first vertebral bone into a right half and a left half.

12 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein said at least one interconnecting member of said second implant is positioned to cross a mid-sagittal plane that bisects said third vertebral bone into a right half and a left half.

13 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein said coupling of said extension of said first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces onto said third bone abutment surface of said first implant substantially immobilizes said first one of said at least two bone abutment surfaces of said second implant relative to said third bone abutment surface of said first implant in one of a plurality of possible orientations.

14 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein said act of transitioning said first locking mechanism substantially immobilizes said first interconnecting member relative to said third interconnecting member of said first implant in one of a plurality of possible orientations.

15 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein at least one of said first or second implants is at least partially manufactured of a metallic material.

16 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein at least one of said first and second bone abutment surfaces of said first implant comprises a tapered projection configured to penetrate bone.

17 . A method as in claim 6 , wherein at least one of said third and fourth bone abutment surfaces of said first implant comprises a tapered projection configured to penetrate bone.

18 . An orthopedic implant configured to attach onto at least a first, second bone, and third bone, said implant comprising:

a first abutment surface;

a second abutment surface configured to attach to said first abutment surface via a first interconnecting member;

a third abutment surface, said third bone abutment surface being aligned to substantially face said first bone abutment surface;

a fourth abutment surface configured to attach to said third abutment surface via a second interconnecting member, said fourth bone abutment surface being aligned to substantially face said second bone abutment surface;

a third interconnecting member configured to movably couple said first and said second interconnecting members;

a first locking mechanism configured to be disposed at an intersection of said third interconnecting member and said first interconnecting member and configured to transition to a configuration that limits movement between said third interconnecting member and said first interconnecting member;

a fifth abutment surface comprising an extension configured to couple onto said third abutment surface, said coupling transitioning from a first state to a second state;

a sixth abutment surfaces configured to be aligned to substantially face said fifth abutment surface;

a fourth interconnecting member configured to movably couple said fifth and sixth abutment surfaces;

a second locking mechanism configured to transition to a configuration that limits movement between said fifth and said sixth abutment surfaces;

wherein said fifth abutment surface is movable relative to said third bone abutment surface when said coupling is in said first state, and said fifth abutment surface is rigidly affixed to said third bone abutment surface when said coupling is in said second state.

19 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said first abutment surface comprises one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

20 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 19 , wherein at least one surface projection of said first abutment surface comprises a tapered tip configured to penetrate into bone.

21 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said second abutment surface comprises one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

22 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said third abutment surface comprises one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

23 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said fourth abutment surface comprises one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

24 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said fifth abutment surface comprises one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

25 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said sixth abutment surface comprises one or more surface projections configured to anchor onto bone.

26 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said first locking mechanism is configured to substantially immobilize said first interconnecting member relative to said third interconnecting member in one of a plurality of possible orientations.

27 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said coupling is configured to immobilize said fifth abutment surface relative to said third abutment surface in one of a plurality of possible orientations.

28 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said implant is at least partially comprised of a plastic material.

29 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said implant is at least partially comprised of a metallic material.

30 . An orthopedic implant as in claim 18 , wherein said implant comprises a bioactive material configured to promote bone formation.

31 . A method for fixation of at least a first vertebral bone, a second vertebral bone and a third vertebral bone, said method comprising:

advancing a first bone abutment surface of a first implant onto a first side of a spinous process of said first vertebral bone, and a second bone abutment surface of said first implant onto an opposing second side of said spinous process of said first vertebral bone, said first and second bone abutment surfaces being aligned to substantially face one another;

advancing a third bone abutment surface of said first implant onto a first side of a spinous process of said second vertebral bone, and a fourth bone abutment surface of said first implant onto an opposing second side of said spinous process of said second vertebral bone, said second and fourth bone abutment surfaces being aligned to substantially face one another, said third abutment surface configured to be attached to said first abutment surface via a first interconnecting member, and said fourth abutment surface configured to be attached to said second abutment surface via a second interconnecting member;

applying a compressive force onto said first implant, said force causing entrapment of said spinous process of said first vertebral bone between said first and second bone abutment surfaces, and causing entrapment of said spinous process of said second vertebral bone between said third and fourth bone abutment surfaces;

actuating a first locking mechanism to rigidly immobilize said first and said second interconnecting members of said first implant relative to one another;

advancing a fifth bone abutment surface of a second implant onto a first side of a spinous process of said third vertebral bone, and a sixth bone abutment surface of said second implant onto an opposing second side of said spinous process of said third vertebral bone, said fifth and sixth bone abutment surfaces being aligned to substantially face one another;

coupling an extension of said fifth bone abutment surface of said second implant onto said second bone abutment surface of said first implant;

applying a compressive force onto said second implant, said force causing entrapment of said spinous process of said third vertebral bone between said fifth and sixth bone abutment surfaces of said second implant;

actuating a second locking mechanism of said second implant to rigidly immobilize said fifth and sixth bone abutment surfaces relative to one another; and

causing said fifth bone abutment surface of said second implant to be rigidly affixed to said second bone abutment surface of said first implant.

32 . A method as in claim 31 , wherein said acts of applying a compressive force further comprise utilizing a separate apparatus to apply said force.

33 . A method as in claim 31 , wherein said act of actuating said first locking mechanism comprises transitioning said first locking mechanism from a first state to a second state, said second state limiting movement between a third interconnecting member configured to movably couple said first and said second interconnecting members and said first interconnecting member, said first locking mechanism being disposed at an intersection of said third interconnecting member and said first interconnecting member.

34 . A method as in claim 31 , wherein said act of coupling an extension of said fifth bone abutment surface of said second implant onto said second bone abutment surface of said first implant further comprises substantially immobilizing said fifth bone abutment surface of said second implant relative to said second bone abutment surface of said first implant in one of a plurality of possible orientations.