Patent ID: 6893465
Filing Date: 2005-05-17
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A prosthetic intervertebral disc comprising: an upper fusion member having a biodegradable composition filled or formed therein, and adapted to be secured to and gradually fused to an upper vertebra; a lower fusion member having a biodegradable composition filled or formed therein and adapted to be secured to and gradually fused to a lower vertebra adjacent to the upper vertebra; and a restorable cushioning coupler resiliently formed between said upper and lower fusion members; said restorable cushioning coupler secured to one of said fusion members and flexibly engaging with the other of said fusion members to thereby flexibly couple the upper and lower vertebrae; wherein said upper fusion member includes: an upper fusion cage having a biodegradable fusion composition filled or preformed in the upper fusion cage, an upper implanting plate formed on an upper portion of the upper fusion cage adapted to be secured to an upper vertebra, a base plate formed on a bottom portion of the upper fusion cage having a pivoting ball axially protruding downwardly from the base plate about a longitudinal axis defined at a longitudinal center of the prosthetic disc and having an outer skirt generally spherically shaped and protruding downwardly from the base plate for protectively surrounding the restorable universal cushioning coupler in cooperation with the lower fusion member; and wherein said lower fusion member includes; a lower fusion cage having a biodegradable fusion composition filled or preformed in the lower fusion cage, a lower implanting plate formed on a bottom portion of the lower fusion cage adapted to be secured to the lower vertebra, a supporting base plate formed on an upper portion of the lower fusion cage having an inner skirt generally spherically shaped and protruding upwardly from the supporting base plate to be concentric with the outer skirt of the upper fusion case for engaging the restorable universal cushioning coupler on the inner skirt and on the supporting base plate of the lower fusion member.