An alignment plate can be designed and formed based upon a known geometry of a subject, such as a human patient. The alignment plate can include various members, such as a plurality of fingers or legs, to contact the selected points of the anatomy. Based upon contact of the fingers at the selected points of the anatomy, the alignment plate can be aligned at a preselected or predetermined alignment with a portion of the anatomy, such as an acetabulum.

An arthroplasty trial assembly for a human shoulder can include a first implant securable to a first bone and a second implant securable to a second bone. The second implant can include a body, a stem, an articulation component, and a sensor. The stem can extend from the body, and the stem can be insertable into the second bone. The articulation component can be coupled to the body opposite the stem, and the articulation component can be articulable with the first implant. The sensor can be connected to the articulation component and can be configured to monitor a condition of the second implant and can produce a sensor signal as a function of the condition that is indicative of stability of the shoulder.

According to an embodiment, a spinal implant for implantation in a spinal facet joint is disclosed. The spinal implant comprises a first plate having a first surface, a second plate having a second surface, and a biasing element having a first end and a second end, the biasing element coupled to the first surface of the first plate at the first end and the second surface of the second plate at the second end. The biasing element may be at least one of a waveform spring, a coil spring, and a flexible core. The spinal implant may be configured for use in a spinal facet joint, such as a cervical facet joint.

An intervertebral implant may include a superior exterior surface, an inferior exterior surface, a first exterior lateral surface, and a second exterior lateral surface. The first and second exterior lateral surfaces may be substantially transverse to the superior and inferior exterior surfaces. The implant may further include a first curved end wall at a first longitudinal extremity of the body. The first curved end wall may include a bore configured to receive a first shaft of a tool. Additionally, the implant may include a second curved end wall at a second longitudinal extremity of the body and an elongated slot extending from a portion of the first curved end wall to a portion of the first exterior lateral surface.

An expandable housing for an interbody fusion system has movable tapered external helical threaded members that travel along tracking to operably engage against the top and bottom shell members, urging them apart to cause expansion in the height of the housing. In an embodiment, the tapered members are disposed in a dual arrangement such that independent engagement of the tapered members along lateral portions of the top and bottom shells cause an angular tilt to the exterior surface of the housing when the tapered members are moved to different degrees. This function permits adjustment in the angular relationship between adjacent vertebrae and assists the lordotic adjustment of the patient's spine. When the functions of the device are used in combination by the surgeon, the device provides an effective tool for in situ adjustment when performing lateral lumbar interbody fusion.

A plating system is described that uses various configurations of bone fixation implants that are configured to attach to one or more portions of a bone. An exemplary bone fixation implant includes a two-dimensional structure comprising a bone-engaging surface and a tissue-engaging surface. A plurality of openings is defined in the two-dimensional structure, and arranged across a length and a width of the bone fixation implant. At least some of openings are configured to receive an attachment member for securing the bone fixation implant to an underlying bone structure. The tissue-engaging surface is configured to engage an overlying tissue structure for encouraging incorporation of the tissue structure into the bone fixation implant to promote stabilization of the underlying bone structure during healing. In certain embodiments, at least 50% of the area defined by and/or between the length and the width of the two-dimensional structure is an opening.

A system and method for sharing and absorbing energy between body parts. In one particular aspect, the system facilitates absorbing energy between members forming a joint such as between articulating bones.

An implant is disclosed that has a base member, an articulating member, and a coupling portion that secures the base member to the articulating member. The implant can be a shoulder implant (100, 200, 300) that has a baseplate (102, 230, 310), an articulating component (104, 210), and a fixation component (106, 270, 342). The baseplate includes a first side (110, 234, 314) with a projection (108, 240, 320) that has a first Morse taper and may be offset from a center line of the baseplate and a second side (116, 236, 316) that has a post or stem (114, 250, 330) that is offset from the center line of the baseplate. The articulating component includes a cavity (122, 220) with a second Morse taper that is offset from a center line of the articulating component. The articulating component is attachable to the baseplate when the projection is received in the cavity of the articulation component. A threaded through hole (130, 222) extends from the cavity of the articulating component to a second, convex side or articulating surface (120, 212) thereof. The through hole can be aligned with the cavity. The fixation component (106, 270, 342) can engage the through hole and is contained within a cavity (132, 322, 242) of the baseplate by a spring (138, 262, 360) and a cap (140), a second fixation member (280), or an engagement member (370).

An expandable interbody implant is expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration by moving opposing first and second vertebral-engaging surfaces apart from one another. The implant includes a locking system for restraining contraction of the implant. The locking system may have a locked configuration, in which the first and second surfaces are prevented from moving back towards the contracted configuration, and the locking system may have an unlocked configuration, in which the first and second surfaces are permitted to move back towards the contracted configuration. The locking system may be controlled by rotation of one or more pinions. The pinions may, in turn, be controlled by linear movement of a rack. The rack may be configured so as to bias the locking system towards the locked configuration. The implant may also include a stop for constraining the maximum expansion of the implant.

A prosthesis for replacing a joint between a first bone and a second bone in a human hand or foot includes first and second rigid blocks (110, 120) interconnected by a flexible bridging structure (130). In certain embodiments, the flexible bridging structure employs a helical spring oriented with its central axis aligned with a central axis of a bone anchor portion of the first rigid block. One or more shear-limiting element (101, 140) is deployed within an internal volume of the helical spring (130) to limit an extent of shear deformation applied to the helical spring. Other aspects of the invention relate to adjustable bone-abutment flanges, an alternative bridging structure employing a helically-twisted leaf spring, and a structure and method for bridging between the first metacarpal and the scaphoid in case of removal of the trapezium from the hand.