An intervertebral disc includes a superior endplate having an upper vertebral contacting surface and a lower bearing surface, wherein the upper vertebral contacting surface of the superior endplate has a central portion that is raised relative to a peripheral portion of the superior endplate, and wherein the lower bearing surface has a concavity disposed opposite the raised central portion. The disc includes an inferior endplate having a lower vertebral contacting surface and an upper surface, wherein the lower vertebral contacting surface of the inferior endplate has a central portion and wherein the upper bearing surface has a concavity disposed opposite the central portion. A core is positioned between the upper and inferior endplates, the core having upper and lower core bearing surfaces configured to mate with the bearing surfaces of the upper and inferior endplates. The upper vertebral contacting surface of the superior endplate has a different shape than the lower vertebral contacting surface of the inferior endplate.

An implantable medical device for implantation in a hip joint of a human patient is provided. The medical device comprises: at least one artificial hip joint surface adapted to replace at least the surface of at least one of the caput femur and acetabulum. At least one artificial hip joint surface comprises: a positioning hole with at least one opening in said at least one artificial hip joint surface. The hole is adapted to be placed and dimensioned such that the medical device is adapted to be fitted using a positioning shaft and at least partly surround the shaft, for positioning the at least one artificial hip joint surface in a desired position in the hip joint. The hole is adapted to be fitted using the positioning shaft, when the shaft is stabilized and placed in at least one of the femoral bone and the pelvic bone for positioning said medical device inside the hip joint.

Hard-tissue implants are provided that include a bulk implant, a face, pillars, slots, and at least one support member. The pillars are for contacting a hard tissue. The slots are to be occupied by the hard tissue. The at least one support member is for contacting the hard tissue. The hard-tissue implant has a Young's modulus of elasticity of at least 3 GPa, and has a ratio of the sum of (i) the volumes of the slots to (ii) the sum of the volumes of the pillars and the volumes of the slots of 0.40:1 to 0.90:1. Methods of making and using hard-tissue implants are also provided.

An implant that couples a first bone and a second bone includes a body that defines a first joint surface, a second joint surface, and a median plane. The first joint surface includes a first central region that articulates with the first bone. The second joint surface includes a second central region that articulates with the second bone, and the second central region is disposed on an opposite side of the median plane of the body relative to the first central region. The first and second central regions correspond to profiles of first and second axial segments, respectively, the first and second axial segments are each one of a cylinder, a cone, and a torus and are centered on first and second axes, respectively, and the first and second axes, as projected on the median plane, are substantially perpendicular to each other. The first joint surface further defines a first peripheral region adjacent the first central region and the first axial segment has a first cross section that has a smaller curvature in the first central region of the first joint surface than in the first peripheral region of the first joint surface.

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.

An elbow prosthesis according to the present teachings can include a stem structure and an articulating component. The stem structure can be operable to be positioned in a bone of a joint. The stem structure can include a stem portion that is operable to be positioned in the bone and a C-shaped body portion having a first retaining mechanism formed thereon. The articulating component can have a second retaining mechanism formed thereon. One of the first and second retaining mechanisms can comprise an extension portion and a first anti-rotation portion. The other retaining mechanism can comprise a receiving portion and a second anti-rotation portion. The articulating component can be advanced from an insertion position to an assembled position, such that the first and second mechanisms cooperatively interlock to inhibit translation and rotation of the articulating component relative to the C-shaped body portion of the stem structure.

This shoulder prosthesis glenoid component (2) has on one of its faces an articulation surface (S.sub.A) adapted to cooperate with a humeral head and having, on an opposite face (S.sub.G) adapted to be immobilized on the glenoid cavity (G) of a shoulder, a keel (4) for anchoring it in the glenoid cavity (G). This keel (4) comprises a body (5) that extends from the opposite face (S.sub.G). The keel (4) comprises at least one fin (6) projecting from the body (5) 2 which runs over at least a part of the perimeter of the body (5).

An implant including a first body member and a second body member and a first bone contacting element extending from the first body member to the second body member. The first bone contacting element may have a spiral configuration forming a plurality of arched members including at least two arched members extending substantially parallel to and offset with respect to one another.

A surgical component, a kit including the surgical component, and a surgical method. The surgical component includes a body portion. The surgical component also includes an elongate stem for inserting into an intramedullary canal of a patient. The elongate stem extends distally from the body portion. The elongate stem has a longitudinal axis; a proximal end; a distal end; and a plurality of splines located on an outer surface of the stem. The splines are circumferentially arranged around the stem. At least some of the splines are tapered such that each tapered spline is narrower at a distal part of that spline than at a part of that spline that is proximal with respect to the distal part. The surgical component further includes an elongate neck portion extending from the body portion at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stem.

A synthetic material can comprise a plurality of rigid components. Each rigid component can be spaced from each adjacent rigid component to define respective interstices between each rigid component and each adjacent rigid component. A flexible material can be disposed within each respective interstice and can extend between and connect to adjacent rigid components.