A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates, a core disposed between the plates, and at least one projection extending from at least one of the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core into at least one recess of one of the inner surfaces of the plates. The recess is oversize with respect to the projection to allow sliding movement of the plate over the core while retaining the core between the plates during such sliding movement. The projection(s) may include a rod extending through an axial hole in the core, multiple surface features of the core, or the like.

A methodology for grafting together adjacent bony structures is provided using an implant device having an endplate with an inner disc portion and outer ring portion spaced from the inner disc portion by a connecting wall disposed therebetween. An endplate interior surface includes a retaining structure for securing the endplate to one of the bony structures, and endplate an exterior surface has an integrally formed socket. A ball-joint rod has a longitudinally extending body and an end, and at least a portion of the ball-joint rod end is curvilinear in shape. The curvilinear ball-joint rod end is rotatably disposed in the endplate socket to fixedly interconnect the bony structures.

A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates, a core disposed between the plates, and at least one projection extending from at least one of the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core into at least one recess of one of the inner surfaces of the plates. The recess is oversize with respect to the projection to allow sliding movement of the plate over the core while retaining the core between the plates during such sliding movement. The projection(s) may include a rod extending through an axial hole in the core, multiple surface features of the core, or the like.

A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates, a core disposed between the plates, and at least one projection extending from at least one of the upper and lower curved surfaces of the core into at least one recess of one of the inner surfaces of the plates. The recess is oversize with respect to the projection to allow sliding movement of the plate over the core while retaining the core between the plates during such sliding movement. The projection(s) may include a rod extending through an axial hole in the core, multiple surface features of the core, or the like.

A knee replacement system, and a method for supplying and implanting a knee replacement system, for enabling natural knee movement in a leg in a patient, including: a medial femoral component having a medial femoral articulating surface with a sagittal plane profile including four medial femoral arcuate portions scaled by a first femoral scaling factor; a lateral femoral component having a lateral femoral articulating surface with a sagittal plane profile including four lateral femoral arcuate portions scaled by a second femoral scaling factor; a medial tibial component having a medial tibial articulating surface that articulates with the medial femoral articulating surface and includes a first raised medial edge that increases in width in an anterior direction; and a lateral tibial component having a lateral tibial articulating surface that articulates with the lateral femoral articulating surface and includes a second raised medial edge that increases in width in the anterior direction.

A methodology for grafting together adjacent bony structures is provided using an implant device having an endplate with an inner disc portion and outer ring portion spaced from the inner disc portion by a connecting wall disposed therebetween. An endplate interior surface includes a retaining structure for securing the endplate to one of the bony structures, and endplate an exterior surface has an integrally formed socket. A ball-joint rod has a longitudinally extending body and an end, and at least a portion of the ball-joint rod end is curvilinear in shape. The curvilinear ball-joint rod end is rotatably disposed in the endplate socket to fixedly interconnect the bony structures.

One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a glenoid implant with a body and a keel. The body includes an articulation surface and a bone facing surface, and the keel has a depth that extends from the bone facing surface to a free end of the keel. The keel has a first length and a first width, both measured in a plane perpendicular to a direction of the depth. The first length is measured perpendicular to the first width and is defined by a first distance from an inferior end of the keel to a superior end of the keel. The first width is measured at a first location adjacent to the inferior end, and the keel has a width dimension along a first portion of the keel from the first location to the superior end that tapers from the first location toward the superior end.

The invention features a glenoid (shoulder socket) implant prosthesis, a humeral implant prosthesis, devices for implanting glenoid and humeral implant prostheses, and less invasive methods of their use for the treatment of an injured or damaged shoulder.

An expandable interbody fusion device includes superior and inferior endplates that are configured to receive a sequentially inserted stack of interlocking expansion members or wafers. The like-configured wafers include features on their top and bottom surfaces that interlock the wafers in multiple degrees of freedom so that the wafer stack is not disrupted when the fusion device is fully expanded. One of the interlocking features includes a plurality of prongs projecting from an upper surface of the wafers and into a recess defined in the lower surface of an adjacent previously inserted like-configured wafer. The prongs and recesses are configured to prevent retrograde movement of each new wafer in a direction opposite the direction of insertion. Other interlocking features prevent movement in the direction of insertion, transverse to the insertion direction and vertically within the stack.

A load dissipating arthroplasty prosthesis comprising a shell, an articular device extending into the shell through a collar defined in the sell, a head and neck portion of the articular device extending from the collar, a shaft portion of the articular device extending into the shell, and a plurality of shock absorbing arcuate linkers spacing and allowing limited movement between the shell and the articular device.