Patent ID: 8518117

Claim:
A spinal prosthesis, comprising: an elongated implant strip extending in a longitudinal direction when in an uncoiled configuration and having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge opposite to the first lateral edge, wherein the implant strip is configured to be coiled within itself substantially within a horizontal plane and is configured for insertion between two adjacent vertebrae with the first lateral edge configured to face a first vertebra of the two adjacent vertebrae and the second lateral edge configured to face a second vertebra of the two adjacent vertebrae, and wherein the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge are treated to promote bone growth; the implant strip comprising a first portion having a first rigidity and a second portion having a second rigidity; wherein the first portion and the second portion are made of the same material; wherein the second rigidity is less than the first rigidity; wherein the first portion extends in the longitudinal direction in a first horizontal plane, wherein the second portion extends in the longitudinal direction in a second horizontal plane, and wherein the first horizontal plane is different from the second horizontal plane; wherein the second portion is configured to deflect under an axial load before the first portion deflects; wherein, when viewed in a cross-section taken perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, the first portion comprises an elongated upper vertical side extending in a vertical direction and having the first lateral edge and an elongated lower vertical side extending in the vertical direction and having the second lateral edge; and wherein the second portion comprises a protruding portion joined to the upper vertical side and the lower vertical side and extending away from the upper vertical side and the lower vertical side.