Patent ID: 7753957
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An intervertebral disc replacement device, comprising: a first plate member operable to engage an endplate of a first vertebral bone of a spine; a second plate member spaced apart from the first plate member and operable to engage an endplate of an adjacent second vertebral bone of the spine; a ball element depending from the first plate member; and a one-piece socket element depending from the second plate member, wherein: at least one of the ball and one-piece socket elements include one or more keyed surfaces such that: (i) the ball element is at least one of received into and removed from the one-piece socket element in one or more first articulation positions of the first and second plate members; and (ii) the ball element cannot be at least one of received into and removed from the one-piece socket element in one or more second articulation positions of the first and second plate members, the one piece socket element comprises an inner surface defining a recess sized and shaped to receive a substantial portion of the ball element and terminating at a peripheral edge such that one or more portions of the peripheral edge define one or more stand offs that extend longitudinally away from the recess and beyond a transverse plane comprising the peripheral edge, and the one or more stand offs respectively form the one or more keyed surfaces for the one-piece socket element.