Patent ID: 7083651

Claim:
A spinal prosthesis kit for placement between adjacent vertebrae to replace disk material comprising a first plate and a second plate adapted to interlock about a central axis, a spring in said central axis adapted to resiliently flex perpendicularly to said central axis, said first plate having a planar vertebrae engaging side and a disk side, a first interrupted skirt on said disk side extending approximately normal to said first plate, said skirt formed as opposing arcs, a depression in said central axis of said disk side of said first plate centrally located between said opposing arcs, said second plate having a second planar vertebrae engaging side and a second disk side, a second interrupted skirt on said second disk side extending approximately normal to said second plate, said second skirt formed as opposing arcs, a protrusion on said central axis of said second disk side of said second plate centrally located between said opposing arcs whereby said first plate is adapted to contact a vertebrae and said second plate is adapted to contact an adjacent vertebrae with said depression forming a bearing surface for said protrusion along said central axis that does not interlock therewith, whereby said first and second interrupted skirts interlock to prevent axial separation of said first and second plates forming a universal joint.