Patent ID: 7238206

Claim:
A fusion implant apparatus, for the replacement of a vertebra or an intervertebral disc, that is anisotropic like normal bone, comprising: at least one biocompatible structure, wherein said structure is made of a composite material having reinforcing fibers, said structure having a first and second face to engage adjacent bone structures to be fused, struts, which divide the biocompatible structure into compartments, extending between said first and second faces and a hollow interior space for reception of bone growth inducing substances, wherein the fibers are long fibers and wherein the majority of these long fibers are oriented in parallel to a longitudinal axis and have a direction that follows the longitudinal forces upon said first and second faces, which is the direction of trabecular structures of the adjacent bone structure, so that said majority of long fibers are essentially an extension of these trabecular structures, and are both (1) oriented according to the trabecular of the vertebra to be fused and (2) oriented in the anterior posterior direction, wherein said majority of long fibers are braced with further long fibers oriented essentially perpendicular to said majority of long fibers.