An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an internal chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by an integral porous structure which extends from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The at least one of the side walls is free of vertical solid support structure between the upper and lower surface.

An implant device for performing posterior spinal arthrodesis at a facet joint, includes a flat element, of constant thickness, having, in order to receive a bone graft, a large central opening so as to form a substantially annular shape. The device is intended to be inserted into a cavity previously produced at the location of the facet joint that is to be immobilised. The element is D-shaped, the rounded side constituting the distal edge for insertion into the cavity, while the proximal opposing edge, which is straight, includes a device for securing to a holding and positioning tool. The opposing faces of the flat element have raised areas that include notches arranged perpendicular to the direction of insertion, each of the notches having a tooth profile with two sides.

An implant includes a plurality of anchoring members and an interbody device. The interbody device includes a front, a rear, a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a central cavity, and a plurality of bores each configured to receive the plurality of anchoring members. The interbody device further includes a porous portion and a solid portion, the solid portion having a higher density than the porous portion. The solid portion substantially surrounds the porous portion on the lateral outer portions of the front, rear, first lateral side, and second lateral side.

An orthopedic implant comprises a body having an articulating surface and a surface opposite the articulating surface. The surface opposite the articulating surface includes a fixation feature. The fixation feature is configured to have a variable width for fastening the implant to a fixation bore formed in a bone.

An intervertebral spacer implant (80) is provided with a retention mechanism (86) to help alleviate expulsion and movement of the implant when placed in the spine while providing an implant that is easier to insert in the spine. In one embodiment the retention mechanism comprises a keel on at least one of the inferior or superior faces of the spacer implant preferably extending in an anterior-posterior direction. In another embodiment the implant comprises a spacer (84) and a plate (82), the plate comprising a supplemental or alternative retention mechanism. In one embodiment the retention mechanism comprises one or more holes (88) in the anterior end of the plate. In yet another embodiment, the retention mechanism comprises one or more blades that are in a first position when inserted and are preferably rotated to a second position that engages the superior and inferior vertebrae.

The present invention includes a fluid interface system for use in medical implants. The fluid interface system of the present invention can include one or more fluid interface channels disposed within an implant. The fluid interface systems can optionally include fluid redirection channels, fluid interface ports and a corresponding instrument to transfer fluid in or out of the fluid interface ports.

Spinal implants that are configured for a minimally invasive approach to a patient's intervertebral disc space, optimized to avoid blood vessels and nervous tissue, maximizing endplate coverage and promoting sagittal balance, are provided. Insertion and fixation can be accomplished through a narrow access window, thereby allowing better access to more spinal levels while being less invasive than other approaches. The spinal implants may facilitate fusion, and include visualization features to assist in the implantation and verify proper placement and vary segmental angle of lordosis. Methods of implanting the spinal implants to treat a patient's spine are also disclosed.

An implant for therapeutically separating bones of a joint has two endplates each having an opening through the endplate, and at least one ramped surface on a side opposite a bone engaging side. A frame is slideably connected to the endplates to enable the endplates to move relative to each other at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the implant, in sliding connection with the frame. An actuator screw is rotatably connected to the frame. A carriage forms an open area aligned with the openings in the endplates. The openings in the endplates pass through the carriage to form an unimpeded passage from bone to bone of the joint. The carriage has ramps which mate with the ramped surfaces of the endplates, wherein when the carriage is moved by rotation of the actuator screw, the endplates move closer or farther apart.

A laterally deflectable asymmetric implant for implanting into a body may comprise a deflectable piece having distal and proximal ends and assuming a straightened insertion state. The backbone may abut or interconnect with said deflectable piece at the distal end of the deflectable piece. In a fully deflected state the implant may define an asymmetric shape, e.g. a D-shaped loop, defining an at least partially enclosed volume. The deflectable piece may comprise a sequence of segments interconnected at effective hinges. Longitudinal pressure applied to the proximal end of the deflectable piece (or applied to the backbone in an opposite direction) may cause relative longitudinal movement between the backbone and the proximal end of the deflectable piece and may generate outward horizontal movement of the deflectable piece away from the backbone. In one embodiment, the implant is implanted using lateral access into an anterior zone of a vertebra and deployed posteriorly.

A vertebral fixation plate system and a method for its use in a surgical procedure to fuse adjacent spinal vertebrae to each other. A base member is fastened to a spinal interbody fusion device installed in place of an injured spinal disc. The base member is received within a receptacle defined in the vertebral fixation plate and mates with the plate, in a selected one of a plurality of available positions of the plate with respect to the base member, and thus with respect to the adjacent vertebrae between which the spinal interbody fusion device is installed. A locator member defined on the base member or the plate is mated in a locating cavity defined in the other one of the base member or the plate to keep the plate in the selected position.