| CPC A61F 2/4455 (2013.01) [A61F 2/30767 (2013.01); A61F 2/442 (2013.01); A61F 2/4425 (2013.01); A61F 2/447 (2013.01); A61F 2/4611 (2013.01); A61F 2002/2817 (2013.01); A61F 2002/2835 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30266 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30405 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30411 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30482 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30484 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30538 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30556 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30593 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30601 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30828 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30843 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30904 (2013.01); A61F 2/3094 (2013.01); A61F 2002/30953 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00011 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00017 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00023 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00179 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00407 (2013.01); A61F 2310/00796 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |

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1. A method for stabilizing vertebrae comprising the steps of:
providing a vertebral stabilizing system, the system including an inserter instrument and an expandable device, the expandable device having:
a first endplate having an upper surface defining a first plane extending from a first side of the expandable device to a second side of the expandable device;
a second endplate having a lower surface defining a second plane extending from the first side of the expandable device to the second side of the expandable device, wherein the first and second endplates each include at least one mating feature;
a first ramp including at least one opening and mating features configured to mate with the at least one mating features of the first and second endplates, wherein the first ramp is slidable with respect to the first and second endplates;
a second ramp including at least one opening generally aligned with the at least one opening in the first ramp and mating features configured to mate with the at least one mating features of the first and second endplates; and
a threaded member configured to engage a corresponding opening in each of the first ramp and the second ramp to lock a position of the first ramp relative to a position of the second ramp, wherein the expandable device is movable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration and in the collapsed configuration the first plane and the second plane are non-parallel,
inserting, via the inserter instrument, the expandable device between adjacent vertebral bodies; and
expanding the expandable device with the inserter instrument, wherein the inserter instrument includes:
an outer shaft having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, the outer shaft configured to engage the at least one opening in the second ramp; and
an inner shaft extending through the bore in the outer shaft, the inner shaft configured to engage the at least one opening in the first ramp.
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