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Prosthetic spinal disc nucleus

  • US 5,674,295 A
  • Filed: 04/26/1996
  • Issued: 10/07/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A prosthetic disc nucleus for implantation into a human spinal disc having a nucleus area defined generally in a horizontal plane by an anulus and generally in a vertical plane by two vertebral end plates, the nucleus area having a sagittal diameter and a traverse diameter, the prosthetic disc nucleus comprising:

  • a hydrogel core having a length approximating the sagittal diameter of the nucleus area and a width less than half of the transverse diameter of the nucleus area, wherein the hydrogel core is configured such that it will consistently return to a predetermined shape following removal of a load; and

    a jacket surrounding the hydrogel core, wherein the jacket is configured to have a horizontal limit in the horizontal plane of the nucleus area such that the jacket directs expansion of the hydrogel core to only the vertical plane of the nucleus area after expansion of the hydrogel core reaches the horizontal limit of the jacket.

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