Expandable spinal implants, systems and methods are disclosed. An expandable spinal implant may include a proximal end plate, a superior endplate, an inferior endplate, and a moving mechanism that is operably coupled to the superior and inferior endplates. The proximal end plate may include at least one bone screw aperture configured to orient a bone screw across a bone screw relief of the superior endplate and/or inferior endplate. The moving mechanism may include a wedge, a first sliding frame, a second sliding frame, a screw guide housing a rotatable first set screw and a rotatable second set screw. A spacing between the superior and inferior endplates may be adjusted upon simultaneous rotation of the first and second set screws and an angle of inclination between the superior and inferior endplates may be adjusted upon translating either of the first set screw and second set screw.

The present invention describes methods, devices and instruments for resurfacing or replacing facet joints, uncovertebral joints and costovertebral joints. The joints can be prepared by smoothing the articular surface on one side, by distracting the joint and by implant insertion.

Implants can be stabilized against a first articular surface by creating a high level of conformance with said first articular surface, while smoothing the second articular surface with a surgical instrument with a smooth mating implant surface.

A spinal implant that allows for fluid injection of material is disclosed. The implant includes a fitting with a passage and holes that are in fluid communication with the passage. The holes extend through upper and lower surfaces and/or into a central cavity of the implant. The implant allows for material to be introduced into the implant after initial implantation thereof. Methods of implanting the implant are also disclosed.

Various embodiments of implant systems and related apparatus, and methods of operating the same are described herein. In various embodiments, an implant for interfacing with a bone structure includes a web structure, including a space truss, configured to interface with human bone tissue. The space truss includes two or more planar truss units having a plurality of struts joined at nodes, implants may be coated with or include fibers or particles to enhance bone growth around and through the implant.

An artificial meniscus using a thermoplastic for the base material, which is reinforced with an inert material. In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcement is provided by Kevlar® fibers, and the matrix is made out of polycarbonate-urethane (PCU). In an alternate embodiment, the PCU can also be surrounded by a polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold that is infused with human growth proteins so that when the artificial meniscus is implanted, stem cells in the body are stimulated to ensure the meniscus is properly secured.

In accordance with one aspect, a spinal implant for fusing vertebral bones is provided that includes a monolithic body for being inserted between bones. The body has a through opening of the body for receiving bone growth material and a wall of the body extending about the through opening. The wall includes nubs extending into the through opening that increase the surface area of the wall available for bone on-growth.

A spinal implant device comprising a frame and a plurality of mechanical stiffness members extending from the frame, with the plurality of mechanical stiffness members being individually customized to provide a specific axial stiffness. The plurality of mechanical stiffness members may be coupled to the frame, and the plurality of mechanical stiffness members may be a plurality of wave-spring modules. A method of treating spinal disease includes determining actual spatial mechanical properties across a vertebral contact surface of a vertebra of a patient. The method may also include manufacturing a spinal implant device that has conforming spatial mechanical properties that are specific to the patient and that are based on the actual spatial mechanical properties of the vertebral contact surface. The method may include surgically implanting the spinal implant device against the vertebral contact surface such that the actual spatial mechanical properties and the conforming spatial mechanical properties align.

An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

A spinal interbody device (IBD) includes a solid wall that at least partially defines a boundary of the IBD and a porous body connected to the solid wall. The porous body includes a plurality of sections that form at least a portion of both a superior and inferior bone interface side of the IBD. Each section of the porous body has a different porosity than an adjacent section such that the porosities increase toward a center of the IBD.

A spinal interbody implant is fabricated using 3-D printing to provide an engineered structure of one or more porous, permeable, or non-solid portions with or without one or more solid, dense, or micro-dense portions. The porous, permeable, or non-solid structure can be a mesh, lattice, web, weave, honeycomb, simple cubic, tetrahedral, diamond, or otherwise with the number and size of its pores, holes, perforations, or openings, as well as the distance or thickness between them, can vary accordingly. Some portions of the porous, permeable, or non-solid structure(s) may have porosities and/or thicknesses different than other portions. The solid, dense, or micro-dense structure may be constant throughout the body of the implant or may be a range of densities throughout the body of the implant. Alternately, one or more portions of the implant may have a range of densities throughout its body ranging from solid to a maximum porosity.