Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.

Sdgi Holdings, Inc.

Warsaw Orothpedic, Inc.

Harald Ebner

Mingyan Liu

Kevin Thomas Foley

Lawrence M Boyd

George A Frey

Steven D DeRidder

Charles L Branch

John L White

Bradley T Estes

Hans-Joachim Früh

This invention relates to devices and instruments for implant insertion through a posterior lateral opening to the disc space. The instruments include an implant inserter, and the devices include a spinal fusion implant engageable by the implant inserter. The implant provides bilateral support of the adjacent vertebrae when inserted into the disc space from a postero-lateral approach.

Devices and techniques for a posterior lateral disc space approach

Laterally expanding vertebral spacer devices are provided for repairing damaged vertebral discs. The vertebral spacer devices maintain the height of a distracted vertebral disc space while providing stability to the spine. In one form of the invention, a vertebral spacer device is provided with a first arm movably coupled to a second arm. The first and second arms are laterally expandable from a first width for insertion into the disc space to a second width after insertion into the disc space. The first and second arms also define a cavity therebetween for placement of bone growth material.

Expandable intervertebral spacers

This invention provides a vertebral implant for impaction in a disc space to restore and/or maintain desired disc space height and spinal orientation. The implant has an elongated basis body having a generally lens-shape provided by convex upper and lower surfaces. Bearing surfaces are provided on the cross-edge surfaces of the endwalls. Grooves are provided in the upper and lower surfaces positioned between the bearing surfaces. The implant can be prepared from a wide variety of materials including metallic materials, synthetic materials, polymeric materials, ceramic materials, and composite materials including reinforced materials i.e. glass, fiber, and/or carbon fiber reinforced materials (CFRP). These preferred materials for fabricating implants in the present invention reduce costs, increase service life and provide excellent physiological compatibility. The non-metallic material can be selected to be either a substantially permanent material, a biodegradable material or a bioerodable material. Further, the implant material can be provided to be radio opaque to facilitate monitoring of bone ingrowth both into the implant and between the opposing endplates of the adjacent vertebrae.

Vertebral implant for promoting arthrodesis of the spine

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Deggendorf, Germany

Harald Ebner