A filling system for delivery of at least one substance to a covering is provided. The filling system comprises at least a funnel shaped container and a plunger. The funnel shaped container includes a scoop portion connected to a hollow barrel. The barrel is configured for insertion into the covering, the plunger adapted for pushing the at least one substance down the hollow barrel into the covering. The filling system can also include a spatula. A kit including a funnel shaped container, a plunger adapted to push a substance down the barrel of the funnel shaped container, a spatula, a retainer for keeping the kit elements in place and trays for protecting them from the environment are also provided. A method of use utilizing the filling system is also provided.

The invention encompasses devices and methods for treating one or more damaged, diseased, or traumatized intervertebral discs to reduce or eliminate associated back pain. Specifically, the invention encompasses intervertebral nucleus and annulus implants that are resistant to migration in and/or expulsion from an intervertebral disc space. The invention further encompasses kits including the implantable devices of the invention and associated delivery tools to treat annular and nuclear tissue.

Coiled spinal implants for disc, vertebral body, and spinal motion segment replacement or reconstruction comprise a plurality of loops and spaces between the loops, with the loops formed of a hollow material and having a plurality of apertures or a longitudinal gap that extend(s) through the sidewalls of the loops and into the hollow center. The coiled implants include one or more balloons within the hollow center, the spaces between the coil loops, and/or within the central void that the coil surrounds. Filling the balloon expands the loops and thereby increases the height of the coil. Bone graft material or bone cement may be deployed from the apertures or gap.

A cannulated screw having a resilient balloon structure capable of supporting compressive and cyclic loads. The balloon provides an artificial disc prosthesis by use of the balloon that mimics the properties of the natural disc by maintaining the intervertebral disc space through a full range of natural motion, absorbing shocks and permitting a natural range of motion.

Techniques, kits and a delivery instrument for providing a material at a defect repair site. The instrument is a combined delivery needle/elevator/paddle that includes a delivery needle and a paddle/elevator tip attached to the end of the needle and around the most distal opening of the needle. The combined needle/elevator/paddle instrument allows both delivery (insertion or injection) of the material/mixture as well as leveling/flattening of the delivered material. The mixture/material may be micronized allograft tissue such as BioCartilage and the surgical site may be a defect site such as a microfracture site or cartilage defect.

Devices and methods for in situ drawing, filtering and seeding cells from the marrow of surrounding bone into a fusion cage without any of the challenges mentioned above. Various implants and devices with aspiration ports that enable in-situ harvesting and mixing of stem cells. These devices may include spinal fusion cages, long bone spacers, lateral grafts and joint replacement devices. Each device utilizes at least one aspiration port for harvesting of stem cell-containing marrow via aspiration from adjacent bony elements.

A modular implant for performing an intervertebral fusion on adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient including a first spacer portion, a second spacer and a container having a first end and a second end, the first end of the container constructed to operably engage a first spacer and the second end of the container constructed to operably engage the second spacer.

An nucleus prosthesis is disclosed having a plurality of linked segments configured to form, in a closed position, a disc shape. A method includes inserting a plurality of linked segments into an annulus fibrosus and closing the prosthesis so that a first segment inserted into the annulus fibrosus and a last segment inserted into the annulus fibrosus are substantially abutted. Another method includes inserting a plurality of linked segments into an intervertebral disc space and closing the prosthesis so that a first segment inserted into the intervertebral disc space and a last segment inserted into the intervertebral disc space are substantially abutted.

The invention encompasses devices and methods for treating one or more damaged, diseased, or traumatized intervertebral discs to reduce or eliminate associated back pain. Specifically, the invention encompasses intervertebral nucleus and annulus implants that are resistant to migration in and/or expulsion from an intervertebral disc space. The invention further encompasses kits including the implantable devices of the invention and associated delivery tools to treat annular and nuclear tissue.

A system and methods for promoting fusion across an intervertebral disc space, the system including an expandable system of spinal fusion implants wherein the system of implants is inserted into an intervertebral disc space in a smaller profile, collapsed insertion state, and then expanded anteriorly to an expanded state.