Abstract: An implant device having a non-conductive base structure with at least two exposed or exterior surfaces wherein at least one of the exposed or exterior surfaces has attained electrical conductivity on at least portions of the surface by an energy exposure wherein portions of the exposed or exterior surfaces are transformed by the energy exposure to attain the electrical conductivity.

Abstract: For inserting a cage in the intervertebral disk space between two vertebrae, an instrument set includes a guide wire with a plurality of dilators that can be pushed over the guide wire and one over another, with a working sleeve and with a cage, in which the working sleeve is designed in its distal area such that it makes possible the fixation of its distal area in the direction of its extension with angular mobility or variable angular orientability of its proximal end.

Abstract: A surgical bender for use in bending and/or plastically deforming a variety of types and/or shapes of materials in medical and/or surgical applications. Various embodiments include a compact and easily sterilizable multiple fulcrum arrangement that utilizes a series of interlocked actuating lever arms to greatly multiply an actuating force applied to a pair of handles for application to an intended material.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a reference indication to a patient tissue includes a primary locating block having a patient-specific primary mating surface contoured for mating contact with a portion of the patient tissue in a predetermined primary mating orientation custom-configured responsive to preoperative imaging of the patient tissue. At least one mounting feature is provided to the primary locating block. At least one secondary item is configured for selective engagement with the primary locating block. The secondary item is at least one of a noncustomized secondary item and a patient-specific secondary item. The secondary item provides a reference indication to at least a portion of the patient tissue. The mounting feature of the primary locating block is configured for engagement with at least one secondary item in a predetermined secondary mounting relationship. The secondary mounting relationship is custom-configured for the patient tissue responsive to preoperative imaging of the patient tissue.

Abstract: A bone void forming assembly includes a support member having a head portion and an elongate portion extending therefrom. A guide member is connected to the support member and has a guide body including a channel extending therethrough. The channel defines an axis offset and obliquely angled relative to an axis of the elongate portion. The assembly also includes reamer having a cutting head and a stop member. A bushing is slidably connected to the reamer between the stop member and cutting head and is slidably connectable to the guide body via the channel.

Abstract: The present invention generally is directed toward a spinal fixation system whereby a coupling element allows the physician to selectively lock or unlock either the connection between the coupling element and a fastener, such as to allow for repositioning of the coupling element, or the connection between the coupling element and an elongate rod. The locking or unlocking of these connections may be made independently and as desired by the physician.

Abstract: An expanding implant (10, 10?, 10?) includes a base (12) having a contact surface (14) for contacting a first region of tissue and a displaceable portion. (24) having a contact surface (26) for contacting a second region of tissue. The base (12) has a proximal portion (16) in sliding engagement with, a distal portion (18) so as to define an arcuate path of relative motion between the proximal and distal portions. The base assumes an initial state with a first arcuate extent and is adjustable towards a second State by changing an: extent of overlap between the proximal and distal portions to vary an. arcuate extent of the base. First and second rigid linking segments (20, 22) are in articulating connection with the distal and proximal portions of the base, and with the displaceable portion such that adjustment of the base from the initial state towards the second state causes an increase in a distance between the contact surfaces of the base and the displaceable portion.

Abstract: A perforation instrument and method of using same, including a shaft capable of being inserted into a joint of a patient, having a longitudinal axis, and carrying at least one piercing member, each piercing member having a tip suitable to pierce sub-chondral bone. The instrument is capable of being altered between an exposed condition wherein the tip of the at least one piercing member is exposed and a safety condition wherein the tip of the at least one piercing member is not capable of piercing tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods to provide patient-specific cutting blocks that allow for bone resurfacing procedures, such as milling or burring, with simplified devices. A computer assisted surgical cutting block is produced having a surface region that matches with the surface region of a patient's bone to be altered. A cutting tool may be provided having a contoured bone mating surface and a contoured and patient-specific shaped cutting guide surface located in a plane above the bone mating surface. One or more channels are provided in the cutting block, and as the surgeon moves the cutting tool (a milling or burring, for example) in the channels, the tool cuts the bone both laterally along the surface of the bone and vertically into the bone according to the cutting guide surface and other preselected surface features of the cutting block.

Abstract: An implant for bone fixation is presented. The implant comprises an elongated member configured to be wound around bone parts that are to be fixed. Further, an engagement feature is provided that is coupled to the elongated member and configured to engage a portion of the elongated member so as to secure the implant in a loop around the bone parts. A fastening member is arranged between and coupled to the elongated member and the engagement member. The fastening member comprises at least one opening for receiving a bone fastener. In one variant, at least one visual indicator indicating a region of the fastening member to be severed in order to detach the implant is provided. In another variant, at least one of the engagement member and the elongated member are coupled to the fastening member by injection molding.

Abstract: A sizing caliper for facilitating the selection of a femoral component of a knee prosthesis includes a caliper body, two drill guide bodies, a stylus tower configured to be slidably linked to each other wherein as the caliper body and the stylus tower are linearly displaced at an equal rate relative to the drill guide body portions and the drill guide holes remain located at the midpoint of an anterior/posterior dimension defined by the distance between the tip of the stylus and the base portion. The caliper body comprises a base portion configured to couple and decouple from the caliper body using a sliding mechanism.

Abstract: A bone plating system and implant card having at least one or a plurality of plates. The bone plating system and implant card has a card member or support having the at least one or a plurality of plates that are integrally, monolithically, or otherwise formed in or adhered to the card member so that the at least one or plurality of plates can be detached or removed from the card member manually or with a cutting instrument or tool. In one illustrative embodiment, the card member comprises a plurality of different plates that are the necessary plates for a single surgical procedure, such as a craniotomy. The bone plating system or implant card allows for selection of plates of varying sizes, shapes and configurations in a single card member, which could be generally planar or could also be non-planar or lie in a plane that is not flat.

Abstract: A surgical saw blade is described comprising an elongated blade bar having opposed plates. The blade bar has opposed proximal and distal sections, with the proximal section having a feature for releasably holding the blade bar to a powered surgical sagittal saw. The blade bar plates are spaced apart from each other to form a void space and a primary opening into the void space. A blade head of the surgical saw blade has a base disposed in the blade bar distal section opening that is pivotally mounted in the blade bar distal section void space, and a crown integral with the base that extends through and outside of the blade bar distal section primary opening, the crown being formed with teeth, wherein a thickness of the crown is greater than a thickness of the base to allow the insertion of the blade bar into a kerf cut.

Abstract: A system for spinal surgery includes a prosthesis comprising a plurality of bone anchors which engage an intervertebral construct for fusion or motion preservation. The fusion construct comprises a spacer optionally encircled by a jacket. The motion preservation construct may comprise an articulating disc assembly or an elastomeric disc assembly. Any of the constructs may occupy the intervertebral disc space between adjacent vertebrae after removal of an intervertebral disc. The anchors slidingly engage the construct to securely fix the prosthesis to the vertebrae. The anchors and jacket of the fusion construct provide a continuous load path across opposite sides of the prosthesis so as to resist antagonistic motions of the spine.

Abstract: Embodiments of a surgical access port system that comprises a retractor that is adapted for being coupled to a cap and that is particularly useful in natural orifice surgery are described.

Abstract: A medical device may include a shaft, and a first tool extending from a distal end of the shaft. The medical device also may include a control assembly coupled to the shaft. The control assembly may include a console, a first grip extending proximally from the console, and a second grip extending proximally from the console. The control assembly also may include a first deflection actuator configured to deflect the first tool about a longitudinal axis of the first tool, a first rotation actuator configured to rotate the first tool about the longitudinal axis of the first tool, and a first longitudinal actuator configured to move the first tool along the longitudinal axis of the first tool.

Abstract: An anchorage in tissue is produced by holding a vibrating element and a counter element against each other such that their contact faces are in contact with each other, wherein at least one of the contact faces includes a thermoplastic material which is liquefiable by mechanical vibration. While holding and then moving the two elements against each other, the vibrating element is vibrated and due to the vibration the thermoplastic material is liquefied between the contact faces, and due to the relative movement is made to flow from between the contact faces and to penetrate tissue located adjacent to outer edges of the contact faces. For liquefaction of the thermoplastic material and for displacing it from between the contact faces, no force needs to act on the tissue surface which is to be penetrated by the liquefied material.

Abstract: A system for moving a portion of a patient's body including a housing having a first cavity extending along a longitudinal axis, a first distraction rod having a proximal end and a distal end, the first distraction rod and the housing being telescopically displaceable with respect to each other along the longitudinal axis, the first distraction rod having a cavity extending along the longitudinal axis, a second distraction rod having a proximal end and a distal end and configured to be telescopically displaceable from within the second cavity along the longitudinal axis, and a drive system configured to move the first distraction rod in relation to the housing and to move the second distraction rod in relation to the first distraction rod.

Abstract: Patient-matched surgical instruments and associated methods having an anatomy facing side including several discrete, physically separate anatomy contacting portions configured to match the anatomy of a particular patient and including one or more of non-uniform in distribution, non-uniform in shape and non-uniform in surface area.

Abstract: A bone plate is asymmetric and includes a straight body and a cross arm. The plate has first and second sides, each with the same structure. The body and cross arm include nodes separated by deformable bridges. Each node defines a screw hole, and wings extending laterally therefrom. The wings taper in thickness between the first and second sides. Screw holes are threaded into the nodes. Each of the first and second sides of the body and cross arm define longitudinal channels in the nodes. The plate can be shaped to the bone by deformation at the bridges or removal of portions of the plate at bridges. A pair of benders, each with clamp bracket and clamping bolt threadedly coupled within a threaded hole of the bracket, is also provided for shaping the plate.