An interbody spacer for a spine includes a housing having a plurality of clearance holes configured to engage bone of the spine. A contact plate including a plurality of apertures is positioned a distance away from the housing configured to engage bone of the spine. A plurality of rivets adjoin the housing and the contact plate. A plurality of springs are included with each spring configured to encircle a respective rivet and translate the distance between the housing and contact plate from a minimum distance to a maximum distance.

A system for spinal surgery includes a prosthesis comprising a plurality of bone anchors which engage an intervertebral construct for fusion or motion preservation. The fusion construct comprises a spacer optionally encircled by a jacket. The motion preservation construct may comprise an articulating disc assembly or an elastomeric disc assembly. Any of the constructs may occupy the intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebrae after removal of an intervertebral disc. The anchors slidingly engage the construct to securely fix the prosthesis to the vertebrae. The anchors and jacket of the fusion construct provide a continuous load path across opposite sides of the prosthesis so as to resist antagonistic motions of the spine.

A method for implanting a medical device for implantation in a mammal joint. The method comprising the steps of creating an opening reaching from outside of the human body into the joint, providing said artificial contacting surface to said joint, fixating the artificial contacting surface to the joint, implanting said reservoir in the human body, and lubricating the artificial contacting surface with use of a lubricating fluid contained in said reservoir.

A method for treating a spine is provided. The method includes the steps of: disposing an interbody implant adjacent a posterior portion of an intervertebral disc space; connecting a surgical instrument with at least one fixation element fastened with tissue adjacent the posterior portion; and manipulating the surgical instrument such that tissue adjacent the posterior portion engages the interbody implant and one or more vertebra rotate about the interbody implant. Spinal implants; surgical instruments and systems are disclosed.

Prostheses are described for stabilizing dysfunctional bone structures. The prostheses have proximal and distal ends, and an expandable mid-region disposed therebetween. The expandable mid-region includes a plurality of deflectable elongate members that are configured and adapted to transition from a compressed configuration to a deflected configuration when released from a deployment apparatus, whereby the plurality of deflectable elongate members deflects outwardly when the elongated member is inserted into a pilot opening of a dysfunctional bone structure, whereby the plurality of elongate members exerts a retaining force on the internal surface of the pilot opening and secures the elongated member in the pilot opening and, thereby, the dysfunctional bone structure.

An implant or endoprosthesis suitable to be implanted in human or animal tissue includes two (or more than two) parts to be joined in situ. Each one of the parts includes a joining location, the two joining locations facing each other when the device parts are positioned for being joined together, wherein one of the joining locations includes a material which is liquefiable by mechanical vibration and the other one of the joining locations includes a material which is not liquefiable by mechanical vibration and a structure (e.g. undercut cavities or protrusions) suitable for forming a positive fit connection with the liquefiable material. The joining process is effected by pressing the two device parts against each other and by applying ultrasonic vibration to one of the device parts when the two parts are positioned relative to each other such that the two joining locations are in contact with each other.

Configurations are described for conducting minimally invasive medical interventions utilizing elongate instruments and assemblies thereof to stabilize and/or fixate a sacro-iliac joint. In one embodiment, a tool assembly may be advanced from a posterior approach into the SI junction and configured to create a defect defined at least in part by portions of both the sacrum and the ilium, the defect having a three dimensional shape defined in part by at least one noncircular cross sectional shape in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tool assembly. After a defect is created, the tool assembly may be retracted and a prosthesis deployed into the defect.

An expandable support device for tissue repair is disclosed. The device can be used to repair hard or soft tissue, such as bone or vertebral discs. The device can have multiple flat sides that remain flat during expansion. A method of repairing tissue is also disclosed. Devices and methods for adjusting (e.g., removing, repositioning, resizing) deployed orthopedic expandable support devices are also disclosed. The expandable support devices can be engaged by an engagement device. The engagement device can longitudinally expand the expandable support device. The expandable support device can be longitudinally expanded until the expandable support device is substantially in a pre-deployed configuration. The expandable support device can be then be physically translated and/or rotated.

A tool for insertion of an intervertebral insert into an intervertebral space is provided. The tool includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the shaft is configured to be coupled to the intervertebral insert. The tool includes a tapered section located at the distal end of the shaft, the tapered section tapering toward the longitudinal axis of the shaft and away from the proximal end of the shaft. The tool further includes a recess formed in the tapered section, the recess configured to receive the intervertebral insert such that at least a portion of the intervertebral insert is located within the recess when the intervertebral insert is coupled to the shaft.

The fusion device for fusing a synovial joint of a human or animal patient, in particular a human facet joint, finger joint or toe joint, includes two pin-shaped anchorage portions and arranged therebetween a stabilization portion. The anchorage portions include a thermoplastic material which is liquefiable by mechanical vibration. The stabilization portion preferably has a surface which is equipped for enhancing osseointegration. The anchorage portions have a greater thickness and a greater depth than the stabilization portion. Then the fusion device is pushed between the articular surfaces and mechanical vibration, in particular ultrasonic vibration, is applied to the proximal face of the fusion device. Thereby the liquefiable material is liquefied where in contact with the bone tissue and penetrates into the bone tissue, where after re-solidification it constitutes a positive fit connection between the fusion device and the bone tissue.