Patent ID: 8118873

Claim:
An artificial vertebral joint for interposition between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra, said artificial vertebral joint comprising: a pair of bilateral joint subcomponents, each joint subcomponent including, a superior component including a superior vertebra engaging surface and a superior spacer engaging surface and further including a superior posterior element sized to extend posteriorly from between vertebral bodies of the superior and inferior vertebrae; an inferior component including an inferior vertebra engaging surface and an inferior spacer engaging surface and further including an inferior posterior element sized to extend posteriorly from between vertebral bodies of the superior and inferior vertebrae, wherein the superior posterior element is configured to engage and articulate with the inferior posterior element; a spacer extending between the superior component and the inferior component, the spacer including a mesh container and a core contained within the mesh container; and a restraint extending between the superior and inferior posterior elements, wherein the restraint is a mesh bag.