Patent ID: 8097036
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An intervertebral device designed to partially or completely replace a natural spinal disc, comprising: a first component having a first vertebrae engaging surface configured to buttress against a first vertebral body and a lower articulating surface; and a second component having an upper articulating surface, with a flexural modulus on a GPa scale of about 70 or greater, and configured to complement the lower articulating surface of the first component to permit relative movement and a second vertebral engaging surface configured to buttress against a second vertebral body, the first component and second component are of a shape to be respectively positioned between the first vertebral body and the second vertebral when replacing a natural spinal disc, wherein the first vertebral engaging surface and second vertebral engaging surface are formed of a polymer having a roughened surface configuration to enhance a bone forming growth and a mechanical interlocking with an adjacent vertebral body surface, the roughened surface is coated with a solid thin micron range layer of titanium as a bone growth enhancing material to maintain and replicate, on the solid titanium coating outer surface, the underlying roughened surface characteristic to enhance a bone forming growth between the respective first and second vertebral engaging surfaces and the respective first and second vertebral bodies of a spine when implemented in a user's spine, wherein the first and second vertebral engaging surfaces are polyetheretherketone and coated with the solid thin titanium layer having a characteristic of not adversely affecting bone stress force transfer characteristics from the vertebral first and second bodies through the solid thin titanium layer to the respective first and second components of polyetheretherketone engaging surfaces, wherein the first and second vertebral engaging surfaces have a flexural modulus on a GPa scale within the range of about 4-25.