A placeholder for vertebrae or vertebral discs includes a tubular body, which along its jacket surface has a plurality of breakthroughs or openings for over-growth with adjacent tissue. The placeholder includes at least a second tubular body provided with a plurality of breakthroughs and openings at least partially inside the first tubular body. The first and second tubular bodies can have different cross-sectional shapes, can be are arranged inside one another by press fit or force fit or can be connected to each other via connecting pins and arranged side by side to one another in the first body.

The three-dimensional lattice structures disclosed herein have applications including use in medical implants. Some examples of the lattice structure are structural in that they can be used to provide structural support or mechanical spacing. In some examples, the lattice can be configured as a scaffold to support bone or tissue growth. Some examples can use a repeating modified rhombic dodecahedron or radial dodeca-rhombus unit cell. The lattice structures are also capable of providing a lattice structure with anisotropic properties to better suit the lattice for its intended purpose.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for intervertebral body fusion that provide more robust support within the disc space. Intervertebral body fusion devices can have a unitary monolithic body including a plurality of body segments interconnected with each other by flexure members. Devices can be configured to be inserted through an opening in a compressed configuration and then expanded within the disc space to an expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, devices can have a greater mediolateral or transverse to the disc space footprint. This wider footprint provides greater support for the vertebrae relative to the size of the opening through which the device is inserted. Changes between the expansion and compression configurations can be controlled based on the temperature of the device.

Orthopedic implants, particularly interbody spacers, have a combination of correct pore size and stiffness/flexibility. When the implants have the proper pore size and stiffness, osteocytes are able to properly bridge the pores of the implant and then experience a proper compressive load to stimulate the bone cells to form bone within the pores. An implant includes a body formed of an osteoconductive material and having a stiffness of between 400 megapascals (MPa) and 1,200 MPa. Additionally, the body includes a plurality of pores having an average size of between 150 microns and 600 microns. The pores permit the growth of bone therein. The body is formed of packs of coils which may be formed using an additive manufacturing process and using traditional orthopedic implant materials such as titanium and titanium alloys while still achieving desired stiffness and pore sizes of the implants.

The methods disclosed herein of generating three-dimensional lattice structures and reducing stress shielding have applications including use in medical implants. One method of generating a three-dimensional lattice structure can be used to generate a structure lattice and/or a lattice scaffold to support bone or tissue growth. One method of reducing stress shielding includes generating a structural lattice to provide sole mechanical spacing across an area for desired bone or tissue growth. Some examples can use a repeating modified rhombic dodecahedron or radial dodeca-rhombus unit cell. Some methods are also capable of providing a lattice structure with anisotropic properties to better suit the lattice for its intended purpose.

A modular reverse shoulder prosthesis according to embodiments of the present invention includes a stem having a proximal taper and a primary stem axis, the proximal taper extending from the stem about a metaphyseal axis, the metaphyseal axis at an angle with respect to the primary stem axis, a metaphysis having a proximal end, a distal end, a first aperture in the distal end configured to be placed over the proximal taper, and a second aperture in the proximal end having an insert axis that is eccentrically offset from the metaphyseal axis, the metaphysis configured for attachment to the stem at any rotational position of the metaphysis about the metaphyseal axis, and a reverse insert, the reverse insert having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end comprises a concave cup formed about a cup axis and configured to receive a glenosphere, and wherein the distal end comprises a locking protrusion, wherein the locking protrusion has an outer surface with a cross-sectional shape that is rotationally symmetrical about the insert axis with respect to a corresponding inner surface of the second aperture, wherein the rotational symmetry has an order of six, seven, eight, nine, or ten.

A spine cage (1) comprising a pair of opposite functional sides (2,3) and at least another pair of opposite functional sides (4,5), such that the cage can be positioned in at least two different positions providing at least two different configurations.

Orthopedic implants, particularly interbody spacers, have a combination of correct pore size and stiffness/flexibility. When the implants have the proper pore size and stiffness, osteocytes are able to properly bridge the pores of the implant and then experience a proper compressive load to stimulate the bone cells to form bone within the pores. An implant includes a body formed of an osteoconductive material and having a stiffness of between 400 megapascals (MPa) and 1,200 MPa. Additionally, the body includes a plurality of pores having an average size of between 150 microns and 600 microns. The pores permit the growth of bone therein. The body is formed of packs of coils which may be formed using an additive manufacturing process and using traditional orthopedic implant materials such as titanium and titanium alloys while still achieving desired stiffness and pore sizes of the implants.

The present invention disclosed a method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue in-growth structure. The method includes the steps of depositing a first layer of metal powder and scanning the first layer of metal powder with a laser beam to form a portion of a plurality of predetermined unit cells. Depositing at least one additional layer of metal powder onto a previous layer and repeating the step of scanning a laser beam for at least one of the additional layers in order to continuing forming the predetermined unit cells. The method further includes continuing the depositing and scanning steps to form a medical implant.

The invention disclosed herein includes implant features that can be used, in some embodiments, on devices with a volumetric density of less than about 100 percent and devices with a surface roughness of some value. The implant features include one or more protrusions mounted on the forward edge of an implant that can ease the distraction of tissue during implantation and reduce the occurrence of damage during a manufacturing process. In some embodiments, the protrusions have gaps in a non-axial direction with respect to the implant to allow axial compression with respect to the protrusions. In some embodiments, the protrusions have a circumferential gap between them and a body of a device to reduce any impact on the device's elastic modulus.