Abstract: An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column includes a housing and a shaft at least partially positioned distally of the housing and adapted to pierce a tissue around the spinal column. An expandable member attached to the housing expands around a portion of the shaft to dilate the pierced tissue in a single-pass dilation resulting in a reduction of any traumatic impingement of nerves or muscle tissue and reduction in procedure time.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an internal chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by an integral porous structure.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

Abstract: An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column includes a housing and a shaft at least partially positioned distally of the housing and adapted to pierce a tissue around the spinal column. An expandable member attached to the housing expands around a portion of the shaft to dilate the pierced tissue in a single-pass dilation resulting in a reduction of any traumatic impingement of nerves or muscle tissue and reduction in procedure time.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods of bone fixation. The bone fixation system includes a bone plate having an upper surface and a lower surface configured to be in contact with bone, the bone plate having a locking hole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface. The locking hole is configured to receive a locking fastener. The locking fastener has a threaded head portion configured to engage and lock to the bone plate.

Abstract: An expandable tissue dilator for dilating tissue around a spinal column includes a housing and a shaft at least partially positioned distally of the housing and adapted to pierce a tissue around the spinal column. An expandable member attached to the housing expands around a portion of the shaft to dilate the pierced tissue in a single-pass dilation resulting in a reduction of any traumatic impingement of nerves or muscle tissue and reduction in procedure time.

Abstract: An internet based method of facilitating commerce between shippers and carriers includes the steps of capturing electronic shipment requests for available shipments, the shipment requests including shipment specific criteria and carrier access criteria, and storing the electronic shipment requests in a database. The electronic shipment requests are presented for action to the remote carriers meeting the carrier access criteria. These remote carriers may reply to the shipment requests with fulfillment offers, which are responsive to the presented shipment requests. Carrier fulfillment offers are received and presented to the remote shippers originating the electronic shipment requests. An Internet based system for implementing the method of the present invention is also disclosed.