Interarticulating spinous and transverse process staples for spinal fusion

An interarticulating staple for clamping one of a thoracic/lumbar Spinous Process (SP), a thoracic/lumbar Transverse Process (TP), and cervical Spinous Process (SP), the interarticulating staple comprising:

• first means for clawing bone;
• second means for clawing bone;
• a staple pin pivotally connecting the first means and the second means;
• and
• ratchet means for limiting an opening force of the first means with respect to the second means at a fully open position, a fully closed position, and an intermediate position between the fully open position and the fully closed position.

An interarticulating staple for clamping one of a thoracic/lumbar Spinous Process (SP), a thoracic/lumbar Transverse Process (TP), and cervical Spinous Process (SP), the interarticulating staple comprising:

• a first claw having a first clamping surface and a second claw having a second clamping surface, wherein the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface cooperate to clamp a pair of adjacent spinous processes when the first claw and the second claw are in a closed position;
• a staple pin pivotally connecting the first claw and the second claw;
• and
• a ratchet mechanism that limits an opening force of the first claw with respect to the second claw at a fully open position, a fully closed position, and an intermediate position between the fully open position and the fully closed position.

A method of providing an interarticulating staple for positioning on a pair of adjacent spinous processes to clamp one of a thoracic/lumbar Spinous Process (SP), a thoracic/lumbar Transverse Process (TP), and cervical Spinous Process (SP), the method of providing the interarticulating staple comprising:

• providing a first claw having a first clamping surface and a second claw having a second clamping surface, wherein the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface cooperate to clamp the pair of adjacent spinous processes when the first claw and the second claw are in a closed position;
• providing a staple pin pivotally connecting the first claw and the second claw;
• and
• providing a ratchet mechanism that limits an opening force of the first claw with respect to the second claw at a fully open position, a fully closed position, and an intermediate position between the fully open position and the fully closed position such that the interarticulating staple can be secured to a pair of adjacent spinous processes by clamping the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface to the pair of adjacent spinous processes in at least one of the intermediate position and the fully closed position.