A spacer for insertion between two vertebrae includes a variable axial length and comprises a first member having a hollow interior and a tubular wall and a second member having a hollow interior and a tubular wall the second member being slidable within the first member in an axial direction for adjusting an overall length. At least the first member or the second member comprises an access opening in its wall, the opening having a size which is adapted for inserting bone grafts through the opening into the interior. The spacer further comprises a length adjustment structure being engageable with an expansion tool for telescoping the second member relative to the first member and a locking structure for fixing the axial length. The access opening, the length adjustment structure and the locking structure are arranged so as to be accessible from the same side of the spacer. The spacer allows in situ filling of bone grafts into its interior and an improved handling.

The invention is directed to producing a shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal where the cartilage has been crafted to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization, and/or integration after implantation. The invention relates to a process for repairing a cartilage defect and implantation of a cartilage graft into a human or animal by crafting the cartilage matrix into individual grafts, disinfecting and cleaning the cartilage graft, applying a pretreatment solution to the cartilage graft, removing cellular debris using an extracting solution to produce a devitalized cartilage graft, implanting the cartilage graft into the cartilage defect with or without an insertion device, and sealing the implanted cartilage graft with recipient tissue. The devitalized cartilage graft is optionally recellularized in vitro, in vivo, or in situ with viable cells to render the tissue vital before or after the implantation. The devitalized cartilage graft is also optionally stored between the removing cellular debris and the recellularizing steps.

An expandable intervertebral spacer includes a body, a proximal end, and a distal end. The body includes quadrants that form a substantially cylindrical shape in a first configuration and a substantially cuboidal shape in a second configuration. Each quadrant includes a ramp portion with a ramp and a landing and a sliding portion with a sliding side and a foot. The ramp portion of a first quadrant engages the sliding portion of a second quadrant. The proximal end and the distal end couple with the plurality of quadrants and transfer an actuating force to expand the body from the first configuration to the second configuration.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for near-simultaneous and integrated delivery of bone graft material and placement of surgical cages or other medical implants in a patient's spine. The integrated fusion cage and graft delivery device according to various embodiments delivers and disperses biologic material through a fusion cage to a disc space and, without withdrawal from the surgical site, may detach the fusion cage for deposit. The integrated fusion cage and graft delivery device is formed such that a hollow tube and plunger selectively and controllably place bone graft material and a fusion cage in or adjacent to the bone graft receiving area. In certain embodiments, the integrated fusion cage is an expandable integrated fusion cage.

A device is for containing a bone graft material. The device includes a mesh outer sleeve extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and sized and shaped to correspond to a profile of an outer surface of a target bone. The outer sleeve includes a plurality of openings extending therethrough, longitudinally adjacent ones of the plurality of openings being offset from one another relative to a longitudinal axis of the device. The device also includes a mesh inner sleeve connected to an interior surface of the outer sleeve via at least one strut so that a bone graft collecting space is defined therebetween The inner sleeve is sized and shaped to correspond to a profile of a medullary canal of the target bone. The inner sleeve includes a plurality of openings extending therethrough.

An expandable vertebral body replacement is presented. The device has an inner and outer housing longitudinally moveable on one-another which locks in place using a retention member. This can be locked or fortified by several described options. Also presented is a method for expanding said device embodiments and a system for an expandable vertebral body replacement.

Embodiments herein are generally directed to vertebral implants and implant trials for use with vertebral implant assemblies. In some embodiments, these implants and implant trials may be used in conjunction with corpectomy procedures.

The present invention provides a support element for implantation into or between a subject's bones, characterized in that: the support element is a hollow nestable structure having expandable elasticity, and can be in a contracted configuration or a distended configuration. The present invention also provides an implant component, comprising: the support element; and a limiting member to prevent the support element from expanding and thereby keep the support element in the contracted configuration. The present invention also provides an implant system applicable to a subject's spine, the implant system comprising: the support element as a first support element; and optionally one or a plurality of the support elements in the hollow nestable structure of the first support element. The support element can be nested until the support provided by the entire implant system reaches the desired level.

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.

Biocompatible mesh materials are employed to make implants for repairing or replacing a bone or for soft tissue repair. The mesh materials can be comprised of bioabsorbable materials, non-bioabsorbable materials or bioabsorbable and non-bioabsorbable materials. Pharmaceutical actives, bone growth enhancers and the like can be combined with the implants.