A selectively expanding spine cage has a minimized cross section in its unexpanded state that is smaller than the diameter of the neuroforamen through which it passes in the distracted spine. The cage conformably engages between the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae to effectively distract the anterior disc space, stabilize the motion segments and eliminate pathologic spine motion. Expanding selectively (anteriorly, along the vertical axis of the spine) rather than uniformly, the cage height increases and holds the vertebrae with fixation forces greater than adjacent bone and soft tissue failure forces in natural lordosis. Stability is thus achieved immediately, enabling patient function by eliminating painful motion. The cage shape intends to rest proximate to the anterior column cortices securing the desired spread and fixation, allowing for bone graft in, around, and through the implant for arthrodesis whereas for arthroplasty it fixes to endpoints but cushions the spine naturally.

Disclosed are surgical implants for providing therapy to a treatment site, tool sets and methods for percutaneously accessing and deploying the implants within the spines. The treatment site may be a vertebral body, disc, and/or motion segments in the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine.

This invention is directed to an assembled implant comprising two or more portions of bone that are held together in appropriate juxtaposition with one or more biocompatible pins to form a graft unit. Preferably, the pins are cortical bone pins. Typically, the cortical pins are press-fitted into appropriately sized holes in the bone portions to achieve an interference fit. The bone portions are allograft or xenograft.

A bone graft delivery system for delivering graft material into a surgical site. The delivery system includes an elongate hollow tube constructed to receive the bone graft material and having a hollow interior and indicia formed on an exterior surface of the elongate hollow tube. The delivery system also includes a plunger adapted to extend in the elongate hollow tube and to form a substantially congruent fit with the hollow interior of the elongate hollow tube such that the plunger is precluded from rotating within the elongate hollow tube. The plunger is adapted to urge bone graft material through the elongate hollow tube to deliver bone graft material through an opening thereof.

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.

A bone graft delivery system and method for using same to deliver graft material into a surgical site. The system includes an interbody implant having a securing site disposed on a surface of the implant and a holder having an elongated, hollow handle including a distal end. The distal end of the holder is configured to removably engage the securing site of the interbody implant to secure the interbody implant to the distal end of the holder until such time as a user desires to disengage the holder from the interbody implant. The interbody implant may be a cage implant having opposing anterior and posterior surfaces, opposing first and second lateral surfaces, and opposing top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface comprises a first aperture and the bottom surface comprises a second aperture, the posterior surface comprising a third aperture, the first, second, and third apertures all linking to a main cavity, the main cavity generally extending between the top surface and the bottom surface.

Disclosed is an artificial bone structure for replacement of natural bone and comprising a solid cylindrical portion having an elongate shape. The solid cylindrical portion comprises an auxetic structure of a plurality of artificial osteons and each artificial osteon comprises a first hexagonal unit and a second hexagonal unit having corresponding edges. Furthermore, a first artificial osteon and a second artificial osteon of the plurality of artificial osteons are connected to each other using an edge of a third artificial osteon and about a central axis of each of the first artificial osteon and the second artificial osteon. Moreover, the artificial bone structure comprises a hollow cylindrical portion having an elongate shape, disposed inside of and concentrically with the solid cylindrical portion. The hollow cylindrical portion is configured to comprise an artificial bone marrow therein.

The invention relates to a connecting sleeve for anchoring shafts of two oppositely arranged prostheses, preferably on an elongate bone such as a femur or humerus. The reinforcing sleeve comprises two receiving bushes (1, 2) for one prosthesis shaft each and comprises a separable coupling region (3) arranged therebetween for connection in such a manner as to resist shear forces and rotation. According to the invention, each receiving bush (1, 2) has, on the side thereof facing the coupling region, one fork (31, 32) of a pair of forks that interact with each other, and a fitting block (4) is arranged on a base of the fork, the lateral surfaces (44) of which fitting block have a distance that corresponds to an inner width of the fork, and the lateral surfaces (44) are designed to contact flanks of the fork in a planar manner, at least one fastening screw (5) being arranged transversely through the fork. The fork connection is simpler to produce than the known wedge connection and yet is sufficiently robust. Unlike in the case of the wedge connection, an exact fit is not required; a clearance fit between the fork (31, 32) and the fitting block (4) is sufficient in principle, excessive play being eliminated by means of the fastening screw (5).

A prosthetic implant shaped as a portion of a human skeletal structure and including a contact and delivery portion shaped as a porous structure, in particular as a trabecular type structure, suitable for receiving a medical substance and configured to be arranged in contact with a bone of a patient during an operating configuration of the prosthetic implant and a support portion, coupled to the contact and delivery portion, including a plurality of ducts each having at least one inlet section, made at an operative part of the prosthetic implant that can be accessed from the outside by the surgeon in the operating configuration, and at least one outlet section which opens into the contact and delivery portion. The contact and delivery portion is configured to deliver the medical substance evenly onto the bone when the medical substance is injected through at least one duct of said plurality of ducts during the operating configuration.

A facet fusion tube assembly includes an elongated tube that defines a working channel to accept tools, instruments or materials for conducting a facet fusion. The tube includes a clip on its outer circumference that is configured to engage the outer surface of an adjacent tool or instrument used to access and engage the pedicle. A centering cap can be mounted at the proximal end of the elongated tube to align and center a working tool, such as a burring tool. An inner removable rod can extend through the tube to prevent soft tissue migration into the tube during insertion, and can be used for bone graft packing once the facet joint or other area of the spine is prepared for fusion. In use, the tube is clipped onto an adjacent instrument or tool to anchor the facet fusion tube assembly in a proper orientation relative to the facet joint.