Transversely expandable minimally invasive intervertebral cage

An expandable intervertebral body fusion device, comprising:

• a unitary monolithic body, the body including
• an anterior body segment and an opposing posterior body segment defining a maximum anterior to posterior width of the body;
• one or more mediolateral body segments extending between the anterior body segment and the posterior body segment along both a lateral side and a medial side of the anterior body segment and the posterior body segment, the one or more mediolateral body segments defining a maximum mediolateral width of the body;
• a plurality of mediolateral flexure members connecting adjacent mediolateral body segments;
• and
• a plurality of end flexure members connecting each of the anterior body segment and the posterior body segment to adjacent mediolateral body segments,
• wherein the body is configured to be mediolaterally expanded from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration by interaction of an expansion tool with the unitary monolithic body causing the one or more mediolateral body segments on the lateral side and the one or more mediolateral body segments on the medial side to generally move away from each other and expand the opening between the plurality of body segments such that the body forms a greater mediolateral footprint in the expanded configuration than in the compressed configuration,
• wherein in the expanded configuration the mediolateral flexure members are on an exterior of the unitary monolithic body and the end flexure members are on an interior of the unitary monolithic body.

An expandable intervertebral body fusion device, comprising:

• a unitary monolithic body, the body including
• an anterior body segment and an opposing posterior body segment defining a maximum anterior to posterior width of the body;
• one or more mediolateral body segments extending between the anterior body segment and the posterior body segment along both a lateral side and a medial side of the anterior body segment and the posterior body segment, the one or more mediolateral body segments defining a maximum mediolateral width of the body;
• a plurality of mediolateral flexure members connecting adjacent mediolateral body segments;
• and
• a plurality of end flexure members connecting each of the anterior body segment and the posterior body segment to adjacent mediolateral body segments,
• wherein the body is configured to be mediolaterally expanded from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration by interaction of an expansion tool with the unitary monolithic body causing the one or more mediolateral body segments on the lateral side and the one or more mediolateral body segments on the medial side to generally move away from each other and expand the opening between the plurality of body segments such that the body forms a greater mediolateral footprint in the expanded configuration than in the compressed configuration,
• wherein as the body is expanded from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration, the mediolateral flexure members bend differently than the end flexure members.