Disc degeneration and chronic back pain are caused by a transport hindrance of oxygen, nutrients and pH buffer from capillaries in endplates into mid-layer of the intervertebral disc. A fluid absorbing conduit is inserted into the intervertebral disc, drawing and delivering the oxygen, nutrients and pH buffer in fluid of body circulation from capillaries at endplates into the mid-layer of the disc. The disc undergoes thousands of relaxation and compression cycles each day from daily activity of the patient. During relaxation phase, the fluid of body circulation containing oxygen, nutrients, and pH buffer is infused into the fluid absorbing conduit. During compression phase, the oxygen, nutrients, and pH buffer in the fluid absorbing conduit is dispersed into the mid-layer of the disc. The pH buffer, bicarbonate, neutralizes the lactic acid to relieve the discogenic pain. Oxygen inhibits hypoxic inflammation and production of lactic acid to further reduce the discogenic pain. Nutrients nourish the disc cells to rebuild or regenerate the disc matrix. Therapeutic agents can be added into the fluid absorbing conduit or injected into the disc implanted with the fluid absorbing conduit to expedite pain relief and disc regeneration. The therapeutic agents can be pH buffering agent, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory drug, anesthetic, antacid, nutrient, sulfate, anti-depressant, calcium channel blocker, growth factor, cells or other.

A surgical implant may include a porous structure with interconnected pores for ingrowth of bone into the porous structure. The porous structure has an arrangement of fibres which are attached to one another, the fibres being arranged in stacked layers. The porous structure has a surface including different regions having different porosities. A method of making the above surgical implant is also described.

There is disclosed a bone fixation device that can include a cage having an optional mesh portion. The bone fixation device can be configured to couple a leg portion to a foot portion of a user's body. In at least one embodiment, the device includes at least one cage having a plurality of struts forming cells. There can be an optional mesh portion having a pre-set porosity that can be either constant or variable in density. In at least one embodiment there can be a cage portion which is substantially spherical shaped. Alternatively, the device can be substantially egg shaped. In at least one embodiment there can be a central post hole for receiving a post. In another embodiment at least one plate or shaft can connect to the cage.

The invention relates to a medical implant (10) comprising an implant body (12) comprising a polymer material. The implant body has a bone-facing interface (14) and an articulating interface (16). A stiffening layer (18) is provided over at least a portion of the bone-facing interface. The stiffening layer is porous and is formed of a material having a higher stiffness than the polymer material of the underlying bone-facing interface.

The improved endoprosthetic device surface treatment encourages soft tissue attachment thereto. A porous mesh surface treatment creates on an outer surface of the endoprosthetic device a three-dimensional surface structure similar to cancellous bone. Suture attachment features are provided at various locations around the treated surface structure to initially affix a vascularized soft tissue to the treated surface. As the patient heals the soft tissue grows and infiltrates the porous mesh surface to achieve an attachment strength substantially equal to the surrounding tissue.

Disclosed is a bone fusion cage that contains bone graft and is implanted between bones in a skeletal system. The cage bears structural loads that are transmitted through the bones of the skeletal system and at least partially shields the contained bone graft from the structural loads. The cage is configured to provide a secondary load to the bone graft independent of the structural load to promote fusion of the bone graft to adjacent bones.

The present invention relates to a vertebral system comprising a vertebral implant (2) and a plurality of inserts, said implant being designed to be implanted in a vertebral segment composed of at least two vertebrae and including a body (20) the walls whereof delimit a cavity (23) leading to the outside of the body (20) through at least one opening in at least one of said walls, at least one passage (21) passing through the implant (2) from the to periphery to an upper or lower surface to receive a bone-anchoring device (1) capable of anchoring the implant (2) in at least one of said vertebrae, the system being characterized in that it includes at least two inserts selected from among the following inserts: at least one graft insert (3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 202, 250) capable of being colonized by bone tissue and/or receiving at least one bone tissue graft and/or at least one substitute:
and/or at least one bone-anchoring insert (210) comprising said passage (21) capable of receiving said bone-anchoring device (1).

A femoral stem implant includes an implant body having a neck and a shaft, the shaft comprising a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a cranial or anterior aspect, a caudal or posterior aspect, a medial aspect, and a lateral aspect. A porous structure extends circumferentially around the shaft from the cranial or anterior aspect, across the medial aspect, and across the caudal or anterior aspect. At least a portion of the lateral aspect of the shaft comprises a solid reinforcement portion that is at least partially bordered by the porous structure.

An intervertebral implant for positioning within an intervertebral space between adjacent first and second vertebral bodies. The intervertebral implant includes an implant body extending along a longitudinal axis of the intervertebral implant that is adapted to align with a vertical axis of the spine. The implant body includes a top plate and a bottom plate disposed longitudinally opposite and spaced apart from the top plate along the longitudinal axis. Further, the implant body includes at least one cross-arm obliquely extending between the top plate and the bottom plate. Furthermore, the implant body includes a lattice structure disposed at least between the at least one cross-arm and the top plate and between the at least one cross-arm and the bottom plate.

A percutaneous collar is made up of a central rigid ring and a flexible mesh inside a microporous silicone disc. The volume of the disc has a three-dimensional network of interconnected micropores forming microchannels connecting both external faces of the disc through the external micropores to the internal flexible mesh wherein the flexible mesh is formed by crossed longitudinal and radial elements or plates which form a plurality of holes.