An expandable spacer, comprising: an axial tube having a surface, a proximal end and a distal end and a length, wherein, said surface defines a plurality of slits, said plurality of slits defining at least two axially displaced extensions, such that when said tube is axially compressed, said extensions extend out of said surface and define a geometry of an expanded spacer. Preferably the spacer is adapted to be inserted between two spinal vertebrae of a human.

A placeholder for vertebrae or vertebral discs includes a tubular body, which along its jacket surface has a plurality of breakthroughs or openings for over-growth with adjacent tissue. The placeholder includes at least a second tubular body provided with a plurality of breakthroughs and openings at least partially inside the first tubular body. The first and second tubular bodies can have different cross-sectional shapes, can be are arranged inside one another by press fit or force fit or can be connected to each other via connecting pins and arranged side by side to one another in the first body.

A placeholder for vertebrae or vertebral discs includes a tubular body, which along its jacket surface has a plurality of breakthroughs or openings for over-growth with adjacent tissue. The placeholder includes at least a second tubular body provided with a plurality of breakthroughs and openings at least partially inside the first tubular body. The first and second tubular bodies can have different cross-sectional shapes, can be are arranged inside one another by press fit or force fit or can be connected to each other via connecting pins and arranged side by side to one another in the first body.

A facet joint replacement system includes an inferior implant with an inferior articular surface, a superior implant with a superior articular surface, and an optional crossbar. The inferior implant and the superior implant are each polyaxially adjustably connected to fixation elements which anchor the implants to adjacent vertebrae. The optional crossbar may be polyaxially adjustably connected to bilateral implants. The system components may be provided in kits which provide components of various sizes and shapes. A set of surgical instruments may facilitate implantation of the facet joint replacement system by providing tools for bone preparation, trialing, implant insertion, implant alignment, and lock-out of modular interconnections.

The present invention relates to a fenestrated bone graft and a method of preparing cortical bone in thin strips then fully demineralizing it to give it formed flexibility and then creating fenestrations in the cortical bone in a fashion similar to but not identical to skin grafts.

A facet joint replacement system includes an inferior implant with an inferior articular surface, a superior implant with a superior articular surface, and an optional crossbar. The inferior implant and the superior implant are each polyaxially adjustably connected to fixation elements which anchor the implants to adjacent vertebrae. The optional crossbar may be polyaxially adjustably connected to bilateral implants. The system components may be provided in kits which provide components of various sizes and shapes. A set of surgical instruments may facilitate implantation of the facet joint replacement system by providing tools for bone preparation, trialing, implant insertion, implant alignment, and lock-out of modular interconnections.

Drug-eluting devices and methods for the treatment of tumors of the pancreas, biliary system, gallbladder, liver, small bowel, or colon, are provided. Methods include deploying a drug-eluting device having a film which includes a mixture of a degradable polymer and a chemotherapeutic drug, wherein the film has a thickness from about 2 ?m to about 1000 ?m, into a tissue site and releasing a therapeutically effective amount of the chemotherapeutic drug from the film to treat the tumor, wherein the release of the therapeutically effective amount of the drug from the film is controlled by in vivo degradation of the polymer at the tissue site.

A stent and a securely-installed artificial valve replacement device having the same, the stent being of a cylindrical structure; the top of the stent is provided with a fixed ear (60); the fixed ear (60) has a neck portion (601) connected to the top of the stent, and a head portion (602) engaged with the fixed head of the stent; the head portion (602) has a bending structure for improving the overall radial thickness; and the artificial valve replacement device is comprised of a stent and a prosthetic valve fixed on the stent. The stent with a bending structure overcomes the problem of easily disengaging from the fixed head of the stent, while not affecting the release of the stent.

A device includes an elastic tubular stent including struts forming closed cells arranged in rows along a circumferential direction of the stent, with each cell having a first obtuse-angled corner on one end of the cell along a longitudinal direction of the stent and a second obtuse-angled corner on an opposing end of the cell along the longitudinal direction. The stent may be fabricated by cutting an array of quadrilateral cells in a nitinol hypotube to form a stent, with each cell having four corners with approximately equal angles. The stent may then be expanded radially such that each cell has a first obtuse-angled corner on one end of the cell along a longitudinal direction of the stent and a second obtuse-angled corner on an opposing end of the cell along the longitudinal direction, and heat treated to fix the shape of the stent.

A set of surgical components for use in a joint arthroplasty to reconstruct a head of a joint is provided. The set of surgical components can include a head member having a first articulating surface opposite a first fixation surface. The first fixation surface can define a first portion that extends outwardly from the first fixation surface. The set of surgical components can include a base member having a fixation peg with three generally triangular fins and a second fixation surface defined as a recess within a top surface of the fixation peg. The first portion of the head member can be received within the recess of the base member to couple the head member to the base member.