Patent ID: 7534268

Claim:
A method of implanting a prosthetic structure into an intervertebral space comprising: selecting a disc having a nucleus; removing a substantial portion of the nucleus of the disc to create a cavity; introducing to the cavity a bag structure comprising an opening for receiving an interior implant structure, a fixation component comprising a flexible material, and a flange capable of anchoring the bag structure to a vertebral body; deploying the bag structure in the cavity; anchoring the bag structure to a vertebral body using the flange; introducing an interior implant structure to the bag through the opening; and sealing the opening of the bag structure; wherein introducing the interior implant structure includes a non-helical sinusoidal-shaped structure having periodic portions formed of a flexible material, and wherein introducing the interior implant structure in the bag structure comprises: stretching the interior implant structure in a longitudinal direction to reduce the amplitude of the periodic portions of the structure to be able to fit the interior implant structure into the opening of the bag structure; loading the interior implant structure onto a delivery device; inserting the interior implant structure into the bag structure using the delivery device; loading the interior implant structure within the bag structure until the bag structure is substantially filled; releasing the interior implant structure from the delivery device within the bag\structure wherein the flexible nature of the material causes the stretched interior implant structure to substantially resume its unstretched state within the bag structure; and removing excess interior implant structure.