A glenoid implant is provided and may include a body portion and a stem portion. The stem portion may extend from the body portion along a longitudinal axis. The body portion may include an articular side and a bone-engaging side opposite the articular side. At least a portion of the bone-engaging side may be disposed at a non-parallel angle relative to at least a peripheral edge of the articulation side.

The strength of bone implant attached to a bone is improved by using hybrid inserts which have stems and wings having bone ingrowth surface features and caps having outer surfaces of cured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The stems and wings of the hybrid inserts are inserted into living bone and the bone implant is attached to the hybrid inserts with PMMA cement. Over time, the bone grows into the bone ingrowth surface features. The bone ingrowth strengthens the bonding of the hybrid inserts and the bone implant with the bone over time. The hybrid inserts increase the shear, tensile and torque strength of the bone implants. Bone inserts that do not have ingrowth surface features loosen over time.

A method for making a device for causing thrombosis of an aneurysm, wherein said device comprises a single elastic filament configurable between (i) an elongated, substantially linear configuration, and (ii) a longitudinally-contracted, substantially three-dimensional configuration, said method comprising: providing a sheet of shape memory material; producing a single filament, two-dimensional interim structure from said sheet of shape memory material; mounting said single filament, two-dimensional interim structure to a fixture so that said single filament, two-dimensional interim structure is transformed into said longitudinally-contracted, substantially three-dimensional configuration; and heat treating said single filament, two-dimensional interim structure while it is mounted to said fixture so as to produce said device in its longitudinally-contracted, substantially three-dimensional configuration.

A special tube is disclosed for the insertion of materials inside the maxillary sinus in order to displace the Schneiderian membrane. The tube is connected to a source of a flowable material. The tube is inserted through the alveolar ridge beneath the maxillary sinus and when the flowable material is advanced through the tube the Schneiderian membrane is lifted. The tube can be part of a dental implant which is screwed inside the alveolar ridge.

An intervertebral implant includes a body with a first face, a second face connected to the first face, and an axis of rotation. The body defines a hollow space for connecting to an insertion device, the hollow space being accessible through an opening formed between the first and second faces. The opening is elongate and extends around the axis of rotation to facilitate pivoting of the implant relative to the insertion device about the axis of rotation to a first angular position and a second angular position. The implant further includes a first abutment surface that engages the insertion device in a form-fit manner at the first angular position, and a second abutment surface that engages the insertion device in a form-fit manner at the second angular position. The opening can also engage the insertion device to hold the implant at at least one additional angular position.

A total artificial expansile disc and a method for posterior insertion between a pair of vertebral endplates are disclosed. The total artificial expansile disc includes at least one pair of substantially parallel plates that move apart along a first axis, in order to occupy a space defined by the vertebral endplates. In another embodiment, each of substantially parallel plates includes a first plate and a second sliding plate. An expansion device or tool is used to move the substantially parallel pair of plates apart along the first axis. A core is disposed between the pair of plates, and the core permits the vertebral endplates to move relative to one another. A ball limiter or ball extender prevents the core from being extruded from between the substantially parallel plates.

A prosthesis for reconstruction of a distal radioulnar joint, after resection of a part of the ulna, includes a first prosthesis member, fixation members and a second prosthesis member. The first prosthesis member is configured for fixation to the distal end portion of the ulna. The fixation members are configured to extend into the radius via said distal end portion of the ulna for locking said distal end portion of the ulna to the radius. The second prosthesis member is configured for fixation to the ulna close to said distal end portion of the ulna. The second prosthesis member is also configured to extend into said space for being joined with the first prosthesis member in a manner which allows said first and second prosthesis members to at least pivot and rotate relative to each other.

Disclosed are surgical implants for providing therapy to a treatment site, tool sets and methods for percutaneously accessing and deploying the implants within the spines. The treatment site may be a vertebral body, disc, and/or motion segments in the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine.

An expandable substantially spherical structure for deployment in a blood vessel or other body lumen, comprising: an open frame formed out of a closed loop of filament and configured to assume (i) a collapsed configuration in the form of a substantially two-dimensional elongated loop structure so as to facilitate insertion into the blood vessel or other body lumen, and (ii) an expanded configuration in the form of a three-dimensional substantially spherical structure so as to facilitate retention at a site in the blood vessel or other body lumen; and a flow-restricting face carried by the open frame; wherein the open frame is configured so as to permit substantially normal flow therethrough when the open frame is in its expanded configuration, and further wherein the flow-restricting face is configured so as to restrict flow therethrough.

An electronically assisted artificial vertebral disc having an upper disc plate and a lower disc plate is disclosed. An actuator imparts movement to at least one of the upper and lower disc plates. A control device controls the actuator and the amount of movement between the disc plates. The actuator includes a plurality of either linear actuators or rotary actuators that are driven by electric motors in response to the control device. The control device includes at least a first sensor for detecting the position of the actuator and at least a second sensor for detecting the spatial orientation of at least one of the upper and lower disc plates. The control device also preferably includes a microprocessor that calculates the desired positions of the upper and lower disc plates and provides a control signal to the actuator to drive the upper and lower disc plates to their desired positions.