Ranier Limited

Scott Johnson

Robert Adam Snell

Geoffrey Thomas Andrews

Jonathan Lawson

Martin Cable

Hanspeter Robert Bayer

Robert H Humphries, Jr

Ernest Corraro, Jr

An instrument for distracting and/or compressing adjacent vertebrae is described. The instrument includes a yoke, a first blade movably mounted to the yoke, a second blade mounted to the yoke and an adjustment system. The yoke, the first blade and the second blade form a working channel for the instrument. The adjustment system of the instrument is configured to adjust a spacing between the first blade and the second blade by selectively moving the first blade relative to the second blade to distract and/or compress adjacent vertebrae when the first blade and the second blade have been secured to the adjacent vertebrae. The instrument may include a depth stop system that limits an insertion depth of an associated tool inserted into the working channel of the instrument. The adjustable depth stop system includes a releasable catch for securing a stop element of the associated tool. A position of the releasable catch relative to the working channel is adjustable to vary the insertion depth of the associated tool.

Distractor

A process for making a polymeric product having a gradual variation in modulus through at least a portion of the product is disclosed together with an artificial spinal disc formed using the process.

High precision manufacture of polyurethane products such as spinal disc implants having gradual modulus variation

An instrument for preparing a surface of a vertebra, such as a vertebral endplate, for receipt of a spinal disc implant. The instrument includes a working tool with implements on one or more surfaces of the working tool that act on the vertebral surface. The instrument includes a rotary-to-linear translation system to cause the working tool to move; for example, from side-to-side, top-to-bottom, or along a path that includes side-to-side and top-to-bottom aspects. The rotary-to-linear translation system may include a drive shaft having a cam pin at a distal end, and a cam follower slot at an anterior end of the working tool.

Vertebral surface preparation instrument

High precision manufacture of polyurethane products such as spinal disc implants having a gradual modulus variation

An instrument for preparation of vertebral endplates and a method of preparing a surface of a vertebral endplate are described. The instrument includes a body having a frame, an endplate preparation member supported by the body, and a pivot point. A tilt axis is perpendicular to and intersects a sweep axis at the pivot point. The endplate preparation member is coupled to the frame and controllably pivotable in an arc about the first tilt axis to change a tilt of the endplate preparation member. The endplate preparation member is also controllably pivotable in an arc about the sweep axis while maintaining the tilt of the endplate preparation member. By sweeping the endplate preparation member at incrementally larger tilt angles, recesses in a vertebral endplate surface are gradually formed, which may allow greater precision and control of a depth of the recesses and reduce stress on the vertebral endplate, as opposed to more aggressive techniques.

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Newmarket, United Kingdom

Scott Johnson