Patent ID: 7695517

Claim:
An apparatus for replacing a damaged spinal disc in a spinal column, said apparatus comprising: an artificial disc, said artificial disc including a resilient core having a first surface and a second surface, a first retaining member connected to said first surface of said resilient core, and a second retaining member connected to said second surface of said resilient core, said first retaining member having an outer surface directly engaging a first vertebra of the spinal column after the artificial disc is in position between the first vertebra and a second vertebra and an inner surface facing said first surface of said resilient core, said second retaining member having an outer surface directly engaging the second vertebra of the spinal column after the artificial disc is in position between the first and second vertebrae and an inner surface facing said second surface of said resilient core, said outer surfaces of said first and second retaining members facing away from each other; and a first mounting member connectable with the first vertebra and said artificial disc to position said artificial disc between the first and second vertebrae, said first mounting member engaging said artificial disc after being connected to the first vertebra to guide movement of said artificial disc into position between the first and second vertebrae, said first retaining member including a guide with an outer surface that extends outwardly from said outer surface of said first retaining member, said outer surface of said guide engaging said first mounting member to guide movement of said first retaining member into position between the first and second vertebrae, said guide engaging a surface of the first vertebra after the artificial disc is in position between the first and second vertebrae.