Described herein are devices and methods for fusion of adjacent vertebral bones using distractor platforms for exposure and resection of at least a portion of a facet joint, such as in performance of a TLiF procedure. In one embodiment, the distractor platform contains at least a first receptacle and/or extension adapted to couple to the implanted screw/bone marker, and the method includes advancing a threaded segment of a bone fastener assembly into the identified first pedicle of the first vertebral bone, the bone fastener assembly further comprises a second segment adapted to couple with a distraction platform, which is adapted to concurrently attach onto at least one tissue retention blade, and retain the tissue retention blade in the displaced position. Stabilization of a spinal segment is also provided by advancing a substantially concave orthopedic implant through an opening made in a posterior aspect of a disc space.

Enzymatic and non-enzymatic detectors and associated membrane apparatus, and methods of use, such as within a fully implantable sensor apparatus. In one embodiment, detector performance is controlled through selective use of membrane configurations and enzyme region shapes, which enable accurate detection of blood glucose level within the solid tissue of the living host for extended periods of time. Isolation between the host's tissue and the underlying enzymes and reaction byproducts used in the detectors is also advantageously maintained in one embodiment via use of a non-enzyme containing permeable membrane formed of e.g., a biocompatible crosslinked protein-based material. Control of response range and/or rate in some embodiments also permits customization of sensor elements. In one variant, heterogeneous detector elements are used to, e.g., accommodate a wider range of blood glucose concentration within the host. Methods of manufacturing the membranes and detectors, including methods to increase reliability, are also disclosed.

An expandable intervertebral implant is provided for insertion into an intervertebral space defined by adjacent vertebrae. The expandable intervertebral implant includes a pair of outer sleeve portions and an inner core disposed between the outer sleeve portions. Movement of the inner core relative to the outer sleeve portions causes the outers sleeve portions to deflect away from each other, thereby engaging the expandable intervertebral implant with the vertebrae and adjusting the height of the intervertebral space.

Described herein are devices and methods for fusion of adjacent vertebral bones using distractor platforms for exposure and resection of at least a portion of the facet joint, such as in performance of a TLiF procedure. In one embodiment, the distractor platform contains at least a first receptacle and/or extension adapted to couple to the implanted screw/bone marker and the method includes advancing a threaded segment of a bone fastener assembly into the identified first pedicle of the first vertebral bone, the first bone fastener assembly further comprises a second segment adapted to couple with a distraction platform adapted to concurrently attach onto at least one tissue retention blade and adapted to retain the tissue retention blade in the displaced position. Stabilization of a spinal segment is also provided by advancing a substantially concave orthopedic implant through an opening made in a posterior aspect of a disc space.

Described herein are devices and methods for fusion of adjacent vertebral bones using distractor platforms for exposure and resection of at least a portion of a facet joint, such as in performance of a TLiF procedure. In one embodiment, the distractor platform contains at least a first receptacle and/or extension adapted to couple to the implanted screw/bone marker, and the method includes advancing a threaded segment of a bone fastener assembly into the identified first pedicle of the first vertebral bone, the bone fastener assembly further comprises a second segment adapted to couple with a distraction platform, which is adapted to concurrently attach onto at least one tissue retention blade, and retain the tissue retention blade in the displaced position. Stabilization of a spinal segment is also provided by advancing a substantially concave orthopedic implant through an opening made in a posterior aspect of a disc space.

The spinal implant described in the present disclosure utilizes an augmented expanding system to build the desired height spacer in-situ without the need for mechanically expanding devices. An expanding spacer system includes a plurality of implant components configured to mate with each other in the intervertebral disc space and a positioning system used to insert each of the plurality of implant components. Each implant component has a smaller dimension and a larger dimension. The positioning system is used to insert the first component into the disc space with the smaller dimension parallel to the spinal axis, and the positioning system is then used to rotate the first implant component to distract the disc space. Additional implant components are added and rotated to further distract the disc space until a desired height is reached.

An expandable intervertebral implant is provided for insertion into an intervertebral space defined by adjacent vertebrae. The expandable intervertebral implant includes a pair of outer sleeve portions and an inner core disposed between the outer sleeve portions. Movement of the inner core relative to the outer sleeve portions causes the outers sleeve portions to deflect away from each other, thereby engaging the expandable intervertebral implant with the vertebrae and adjusting the height of the intervertebral space.

An implant for restoring height of a vertebral body. The implant includes upper and lower plates configured to be moved away from one another in the craniocaudal direction. A first support and a second support are arranged to crisscross in a proximal-to-distal direction to facilitate increased expansion of the implant, and a third support and a fourth support may be arranged to crisscross in the proximal-to-distal direction. Certain supports may be laterally spaced from one another to define a void space for receiving a retaining element. An upper support fork may include a first pair of supports arranged in a V-shaped configuration and converge at an apex that is coupled to an underside of the upper plate. A lower support fork may include a second pair of supports arranged in a V-shaped configuration and converge at another apex that is coupled to an upper side of the lower plate.

A method of placing an implant for intervertebral fusion between adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient includes inserting the implant in a space between the adjacent vertebral bodies such that both a first intervertebral spacer body and a second intervertebral spacer body contact each of the adjacent vertebral bodies. The first intervertebral spacer body is spaced apart from the second intervertebral spacer body. An expandable container portion of the implant disposed between the first intervertebral spacer body and the second intervertebral spacer body is filled with fill material such that the expandable container expands to contact each of the adjacent vertebral bodies.

An apparatus and method is provided for interbody fusion including distracting, in a given direction, and supporting opposing vertebral bodies. A plurality of wafers are consecutively inserted between the vertebral bodies to create a column of wafers. The column of wafers is oriented between the vertebral bodies so as to expand in the given direction as the wafers are consecutively added to the column.