Spinal nucleus replacement implants and methods
First Claim
1. An intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus implant, comprising a load bearing elastic body sized for introduction into an intervertebral disk space, said body having an anterior portion including an anterior side, and a posterior portion including a posterior side, wherein at least half of said posterior portion tapers to the posterior side of the implant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved nucleus pulposus implants are provided to better accommodate the disc nucleus space, to provide a modified compressive modulus, to facilitate positioning, to enhance fixation, and to facilitate effective implantation and use. Some implants have sloped upper and/or lower surfaces to provide a “wedge-shaped” implant, while other implants have circumferential grooves, and/or have radiographic markers, and/or are modified by including a material having a compression profile that differs from the compression profile of the predominant material of the implant. Some implants have surface features to enhance fixation to surrounding surfaces.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. An intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus implant, comprising a load bearing elastic body sized for introduction into an intervertebral disk space, said body having an anterior portion including an anterior side, and a posterior portion including a posterior side, wherein at least half of said posterior portion tapers to the posterior side of the implant.
- 24. A method of treating a medical patient, said method comprising implanting in an intervertebral disc space of the patient an intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus implant, wherein said intervertebral disc implant comprises a load bearing elastic body sized for introduction into an intervertebral disk space, said body having an anterior portion including an anterior side, and a posterior portion including a posterior side, wherein at least half of said posterior portion tapers to the posterior side of the implant.
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28. An intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus implant, comprising a load bearing elastic body sized for introduction into an intervertebral disk space, said body having one or more substantially horizontal grooves along a side surface of the implant to reduce the material in the side surface, thereby facilitating deformation of the implant under load and allowing a greater range of motion.
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29. An intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus implant, comprising a load bearing elastic body sized for introduction into an intervertebral disk space, wherein one or more areas in the implant have a compressive modulus that is different from the compressive modulus of the predominant load bearing portion of the implant, thereby providing an implant with load bearing portions that are more or less stiff than other load bearing portions of the implant.
Specification