An extraction tool for removing an installed artificial disc from a spine is provided. The extraction tool is impacted between the artificial disc and the vertebrae and engages the artificial disc to allow a surgeon to remove the artificial disc from the spine.

An expandable implant having superior and inferior endplates is disclosed. The superior endplate includes a first inside surface having a crossbar extending in the widthwise direction. The inferior endplate includes a second inside surface having a medial support structure, a threaded core, and a receiving cavity. A threaded locking screw may be disposed in the threaded core, and a proximal saddle may be disposed in the receiving cavity. In various embodiments, in a locked position, a relative position of the inferior endplate with respect to the superior endplate is fixed, and the threaded locking screw directly contacts, pushes, applies a force against, and/or compresses, the proximal saddle, the proximal saddle directly contacts, pushes, applies a force against, and/or compresses the crossbar, the crossbar directly contacts, pushes, applies a force against, and/or compresses the distal saddle, and the distal saddle directly contacts and is engaged against the second interior distal wall.

This invention relates to an intervertebral fusion cage for insertion between vertebrae. The cage has a body defining a first, anterior portion, a second, posterior portion and a central portion extending between the anterior and posterior portions. The central portion may define a first surface which is, in use, a top surface and a second surface which is, in use, a bottom surface. The top and bottom surfaces may carry gripping formation for gripping end plates of the vertebrae. The gripping formations on the top and bottom surfaces preferably face substantially opposite directions such that the gripping formations on the top surface obstruct movement in first direction while the gripping formations on the bottom surface obstruct movement in a second direction, which is substantially opposite the first direction.

The present invention is a group of surgical instruments with improved function and design for dental and craniofacial surgery, especially subperiosteal tunneling and related procedures. The instruments include surgical elevators for vestibular incision or incisions in the gingival sulcus. The instruments have varying angles and shapes to create a mucosal tunnel in any oral or maxillofacial region. The instrument suite also optionally includes specially designed forceps for introduction of graft material inside the subperiosteal tunnel and to assist with suturing of the graft to surrounding tissue.

An intervertebral spacer inserter includes a sleeve having a longitudinal axis, a hollow sleeve bore extending through the sleeve along the longitudinal axis, a sleeve tip end and an opening of a passage disposed in the sleeve tip end. The passage extends into the sleeve to the sleeve shaft along a passage axis that intersects the longitudinal axis at an angle less than about 90°. A sliding tip with an elongated slot is in contact with the sleeve tip end and is moveable with respect to the sleeve tip end between a first position with the opening accessible through the elongated slot and disposed adjacent a first end of the elongated slot and a second position with the opening accessible through the elongated slot and disposed adjacent a second end of the elongated slot opposite the first end.

An expandable cage system for use in spinal surgery includes a top portion having an outwardly extending top arm, and a bottom portion having an outwardly extending bottom arm. The bottom arm is configured to engage with the top arm such that upon engagement, the top portion and the bottom portion are substantially restricted from movement relative to each other in an anterior-posterior direction, and in a medial-lateral direction. The expandable cage system further includes a removable shim configured to be positioned between the top portion and the bottom portion to hold the expandable cage in an expanded position within a spinal cavity.

Proposed are a guider for a spinal operation and a cage therefor. The guider includes a sliding portion configured to guide a cage for a spinal operation and a holder to a surgical site, a head of the sliding portion being inserted into a human body region where a surgical incision is made for the spinal operation, and the cage for a spinal operation being combined with the holder; a support portion combined with one side of the sliding portion and thus supporting the sliding portion; and a handle combined with the support portion.

A two-stage intervertebral implant comprises an expandable cage comprising a pivot connecting upper and lower bodies, a first expansion mechanism, such as a wedge, configured to pivot the upper body and the lower body at the pivot point in a first stage, and a second expansion mechanism, such as a toggle joint, configured to pivot the upper body and the lower body at the pivot point in a second stage beyond the first stage. A method of implanting an implant comprises inserting the implant into anatomy, the implant comprising a first component rotatably coupled to a second component at a pivot point, operating a first expansion mechanism to rotate the implant at the pivot point to expand the implant to a first level, and operating a second expansion mechanism to rotate the implant at the pivot point from the first level to a second level.

The present invention relates to a method of treating a hip joint of a human patient, the hip joint comprising an acetabulum, the acetabulum being a part of the pelvic bone, and a caput femur, the caput femur being the proximal part of the femoral bone, said method comprising the steps of: cutting the skin of the human patient, dissecting an area of the pelvic bone on the opposite side from the acetabulum, creating a hole in said dissected area, said hole passing through the pelvic bone and into the hip joint of the human patient, and performing an action in the hip joint, through said hole in the pelvic bone.

Provided is a method for converting a modular anatomic shoulder implant to a modular reverse shoulder implant, wherein the modular anatomic shoulder implant and the modular reverse shoulder implant have novel configurations.