Zimmer Spine, Inc.

Adam Shinbrot

Robert Garryl Hudgins

Steven L Griffith

John Dawson

John M Dawson

Medical implants are formed at least in part from porous metal wherein the pores of the metal are filled with a hardenable material. The hardenable material can be used to assist in the manufacture of the implant, permitting detailed machining of the implant. Further, the hardenable material can be a resorbable material that strengthens the implant during implantation but is resorbed, once implanted, to permit bone growth and infiltration. Further, in an alternate embodiment, the hardenable material can be a thermoplastic material that can be heated by ultrasonic energy to create an adhesive bond between a fastener and bone structure.

Medical implant formed from porous metal and method

The present invention is an apparatus and method for stabilizing the facet joints of the spine. One aspect of the present invention is the stabilization of the facet joint by insertion of a facet implant through two opposing facet surfaces. The facet joint is not fixedly frozen by insertion of the screw, but instead the facet surfaces are flexibly and movably anchored to preserve movement because the screw or anchor includes a flexible intermediate portion which is positioned between the facet surfaces. The facet implant may be in the form of a screw or other anchor with the intermediate portion in the form of a polyaxial head, a cord, a spring, etc. The facet implant may furthermore be used in conjunction with a facet spacer that is placed between the first and second facet.

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Golden Valley, MN, United States of America

Adam Shinbrot