A prosthesis for a mammal comprises a prosthesis body (302) with a dorsal surface (311) and a ventral surface (312) shaped to fit in a joint between a tibia and a femur so that the dorsal surface faces a distal end of the femur and the ventral surface faces a proximal end of the tibia. At least one fixation element (303) is provided for fixing the prosthesis body (302) to the tibia (150), wherein the dorsal surface (311) is inclined in a dorsal direction towards a caudal edge of the prosthesis body, to stabilize the femur.

A fusion device includes an actuator including a shaft, a receiver disposed posterior to the actuator and configured to be coupled to the shaft of the actuator, and a first plate and a second plate each slidably coupled to the actuator. The first and second plates are configured to move away from each other when the fusion device transitions from a first state to a second state.

An interbody implant can comprise a cage and a porous structure. The cage can comprise an anterior segment, a medial segment, a posterior segment and a lateral segment contiguously connected to each other to define an interior space. The porous structure can be located in the interior space and can be bounded by the cage. The porous structure can comprise opposed superior and inferior surfaces exposed through the cage, an internal cavity located in an interior of the porous structure, and a plurality of ports connecting the internal cavity to the superior and inferior surfaces. A superior-inferior stiffness of the interbody implant can be defined by the porous structure. The porous structure can be compressed within a patient by movement of the spine to biologically stimulate bone growth in vertebrae adjacent the interbody implant. The implant can be configured for lateral, anterior and posterior insertion at different spine levels.

A method of joining adjacent bone includes providing a medical device having a first implant portion, a second implant portion attached to the first implant portion, and a driver assembly having an instrument adapted to form an opening in bone. The driver assembly is integrally connected to and removably attached to the second implant portion at a connection, distal from the first implant portion. The driver assembly further has a wire driver extending therefrom, distal from the first implant portion. The method further includes inserting the wire driver into a wire driver tool; placing the first implant portion against a first bone structure; inserting the first implant portion into the first bone structure; removing the second implant portion from the driver assembly; using the driver assembly to form an opening in a second bone structure, adjacent to the first bone structure; and inserting the second implant portion into the opening.

A dilation introducer for orthopedic surgery is provided for minimally invasive access for insertion of an intervertebral implant. The dilation introducer may be used to provide an access position through Kambin's triangle from a posterolateral approach. A first dilator tube with a first longitudinal axis is provided. A second dilator tube may be introduced over the first, advanced along a second longitudinal axis parallel to but offset from the first. A third dilator tube may be introduced over the second, advanced along a third longitudinal axis parallel to but offset from both the first and the second. An access cannula may be introduced over the third dilator tube. With the first, second, and third dilator tubes removed, surgical instruments may pass through the access cannula to operate on an intervertebral disc and/or insert an intervertebral implant.

A dilation introducer for orthopedic surgery is provided for minimally invasive access for insertion of an intervertebral implant. The dilation introducer may be used to provide an access position through Kambin's triangle from a posterolateral approach. A first dilator tube with a first longitudinal axis is provided. A second dilator tube may be introduced over the first, advanced along a second longitudinal axis parallel to but offset from the first. A third dilator tube may be introduced over the second, advanced along a third longitudinal axis parallel to but offset from both the first and the second. An access cannula may be introduced over the third dilator tube. With the first, second, and third dilator tubes removed, surgical instruments may pass through the access cannula to operate on an intervertebral disc and/or insert an intervertebral implant.

An interbody implant includes an implant body extending between an anterior surface and a posterior surface. The implant body includes a first vertebral engaging surface and a second vertebral engaging surface. At least one of the vertebral engaging surfaces defines a cavity configured for disposal of bone growth detectable via medical imaging. Systems, spinal constructs, surgical instruments and methods are disclosed.

According to some embodiments, a method of inserting a lateral implant within an intervertebral space defined between an upper vertebral member and a lower vertebral member includes creating a lateral passage through a subject in order to provide minimally invasive access to the intervertebral space, at least partially clearing out native tissue of the subject within and/or near the intervertebral space, positioning a base plate within the intervertebral space, wherein the base plate comprise an upper base plate and a lower base plate and advancing an implant between the upper base plate and the lower base plate so that the implant is urged into the intervertebral space and the upper vertebral member is distracted relative to the lower vertebral member.

A wedge has an outer perimeter and includes a top surface extending generally in a first plane and having a top osteointegration surface disposed thereon. A bottom surface extends in a second plane that extends obliquely with respect to the first plane. The first plane intersects the second plane outside the outer perimeter of the implant and includes a bottom osteointegration surface disposed thereon. A plurality of side surfaces extends between the top surface and the bottom surface and defines the outer perimeter, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of side surfaces is devoid of any osteointegration surface.

Systems for distracting a facet joint and positioning a permanent implant in the joint are disclosed. The implants serve to retain a distracted position of the facet joint which is achieved with positioning of the leading end of a distraction tool in the facet joint and then distracting or enlarging the joint a desired amount. The permanent implant could be part of the distraction mechanism which can be separated from the delivery tool once the joint has been distracted or an auxiliary implant may be positioned before the distraction mechanism is removed from the distracted joint. The permanent implants can be solid, mechanical devices that may have fixation means thereon to hold them in place or injected fluids such as hydrogels or fluids confined within balloons.