Patent ID: 7115144

Claim:
A spinal prosthesis kit for placement between adjacent vertebrae to replace disk material comprising a first plate and a second plate, 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 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 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 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.