This invention relates generally to spine surgery and, in particular, to methods and apparatus for treating spinal stenosis. The methods comprising gaining access to an interspinous space, abrading a portion of the superior spinous process, inserting an implant into the interspinous process space, verifying the position of the implant by observing the position of three radio-opaque markers embedded in the implant, and coupling the implant to the superior spinous process.