Interspinous process implant having deployable wing and method of implantation

A distractor instrument, comprising:

• first and second distraction members that each engage a respective skeletal segment, wherein the distraction members can be distracted to cause distraction of the skeletal segments.

A method of distracting a pair of spinous processes, comprising:

• using one or more distractor elements to engage the spinous processes to apply a distraction force to the spinous processes.

A minimally-invasive surgical procedure, comprising:

• localizing a surgical point of interest using a localizing needle that points to the point of interest;
• and placing an implant at the point of interest using the localizing needle as a guide.

A minimally-invasive surgical procedure, comprising:

• localizing a surgical point of interest using an x-ray to identify the point of interest;
• relating the point of interest to a delivery apparatus;
• and delivering an implant to the point of interest using an inserter device that pivots about a central axis such that the inserter device travels along a curvilinear path that contains the localized point of interest.

A skeletal implant holder, comprising:

• a hand-operated handle assembly;
• a holder assembly attached to the handle assembly, the holder assembly configured to be removably attached to an implant, wherein the handle assembly can be actuated to secure the implant to the holder assembly and to detach the implant from the holder assembly, and wherein the holder assembly is configured to apply a first force to the implant in a first direction and a second force to the implant in a second direction opposite the first direction when the handle assembly is actuated.

An implant for implanting between a pair of skeletal segments, comprising:

• a first segment;
• at least one wing attached to the first segment, the wing movable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration wherein the wing can engage a skeletal segment as an anchor when in the expanded configuration;
• and a second segment removably attached to the first segment, wherein the second segment can be detached from the first segment to disengage the wing from the skeletal segment.