US Patent 8470003 Laminoplasty plates and methods of expanding the spinal canal

A method of expanding the spinal canal of a vertebra including inserting a bone anchor into a first lamina of the vertebra, cutting completely through the first lamina to create a space in the first lamina, cutting partially through a second, contra-lateral lamina of the vertebra to create a partial cut in the second lamina, engaging a first segment of a plate with the bone anchor, pivoting the bone anchor and the first lamina about the partial cut in the second lamina to increase the extent of the space in the first lamina, and connecting a second segment of the plate to a portion of the vertebra across the space from the first segment of the plate such that the plate spans the space and stabilizes the vertebra.