Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A modular tensioned spinal screw comprises a bone fastener having a threaded elongate shaft and a spherical head at an upper end of said shaft. A modular yoke for polyaxial attachment to the head of said bone fastener has an inner bore, an upper end configured to receive a connecting rod and a lower end configured to receive the head of the bone fastener. An axially movable radially expandable socket collar, and a saddle having a rod receiving cradle are supported within the yoke bore. A retention pin fixed to the yoke movably supports the saddle and a tension member within the bore. The tension member comprises a resilient biasing element oriented such that upward axial movement of the saddle produces a downward bias force on said saddle to compress the head of the bone fastener between said saddle and said socket collar in a provisional holding position.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A modular tensioned spinal screw comprises a bone fastener having a threaded elongate shaft and a spherical head at an upper end of said shaft. A modular yoke for polyaxial attachment to the head of said bone fastener has an inner bore, an upper end configured to receive a connecting rod and a lower end configured to receive the head of the bone fastener. An axially movable radially expandable socket collar, and a saddle having a rod receiving cradle are supported within the yoke bore. A retention pin fixed to the yoke movably supports the saddle and a tension member within the bore. The tension member comprises a resilient biasing element oriented such that upward axial movement of the saddle produces a downward bias force on said saddle to compress the head of the bone fastener between said saddle and said socket collar in a provisional holding position.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A medical implant has a textured tissue contact surface comprising a roughened surface that includes a plurality of macroscale and microscale projections and recesses and a plurality of nanostructures on the projections and within the recesses. The nanostructures comprise a plurality of spaced elongated waves, each wave having a crest and a trough. Each wave and recess comprise a plurality of individual polygonal structures, some of which comprise pyramidical-type shapes. The textured tissue contact surface is formed by initially laser ablating a tissue contact surface on the implant with a nanosecond pulsed laser followed by laser ablating the initially ablated surface with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A medical implant has a textured tissue contact surface comprising a roughened surface that includes a plurality of macroscale and microscale projections and recesses and a plurality of nanostructures on the projections and within the recesses. The nanostructures comprise a plurality of spaced elongated waves, each wave having a crest and a trough. Each wave and recess comprise a plurality of individual polygonal structures, some of which comprise pyramidical-type shapes. The textured tissue contact surface is formed by initially laser ablating a tissue contact surface on the implant with a nanosecond pulsed laser followed by laser ablating the initially ablated surface with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: An expandable interbody fusion device and an associated instrument for inserting the device into an intervertebral disc space, expanding the device and for use in delivering graft material into the device once expanded in the disc space. The device is small enough to fit through Kambin's triangle yet is capable of expanding both in the vertical direction to accommodate spinal lordosis and in the lateral direction to provide sufficient structural support for opposing vertebral bodies laterally within the disc space. A process of forming textured top and bottom surfaces of the device by initially laser ablating each surface with a nano-second pulsed laser followed by laser ablating those surfaces with a femto-second pulsed laser.

Abstract: A modular tensioned spinal screw comprises a bone fastener having a threaded elongate shaft and a spherical head at an upper end of said shaft. A modular yoke for polyaxial attachment to the head of said bone fastener has an inner bore, an upper end configured to receive a connecting rod and a lower end configured to receive the head of the bone fastener. An axially movable radially expandable socket collar, and a saddle having a rod receiving cradle are supported within the yoke bore. A retention pin fixed to the yoke movably supports the saddle and a tension member within the bore. The tension member comprises a resilient biasing element oriented such that upward axial movement of the saddle produces a downward bias force on said saddle to compress the head of the bone fastener between said saddle and said socket collar in a provisional holding position.

Abstract: A modular tensioned spinal screw comprises a bone fastener having a threaded elongate shaft and a spherical head at an upper end of said shaft. A modular yoke for polyaxial attachment to the head of said bone fastener has an inner bore, an upper end configured to receive a connecting rod and a lower end configured to receive the head of the bone fastener. An axially movable radially expandable socket collar, and a saddle having a rod receiving cradle are supported within the yoke bore. A retention pin fixed to the yoke movably supports the saddle and a tension member within the bore. The tension member comprises a resilient biasing element oriented such that upward axial movement of the saddle produces a downward bias force on said saddle to compress the head of the bone fastener between said saddle and said socket collar in a provisional holding position.

Abstract: An expandable anterior lumbar interbody fusion device comprises a multiple piece construction that includes an outer shell, movable upper and lower endplates and a pair of laterally spaced supports therebetween. The endplates are initially nested within the outer shell and telescope through the outer shell when expanded by a secondary instrument. Each endplate includes fixation elements to anchor the expanded device in an intervertebral disc space. Bilateral internal pockets are formed within each of the endplates to fully contain the supports. Once the device is expanded, the supports are pushed into place by the instrument in a manner to maintain the expanded position. After the supports are in place, the expander instrument is removed, and the device remains anchored in the expanded state.

Abstract: A modular tensioned spinal screw comprises a bone fastener having a threaded elongate shaft and a spherical head at an upper end of said shaft. A modular yoke for polyaxial attachment to the head of said bone fastener has an inner bore, an upper end configured to receive a connecting rod and a lower end configured to receive the head of the bone fastener. An axially movable radially expandable socket collar, and a saddle having a rod receiving cradle are supported within the yoke bore. A retention pin fixed to the yoke movably supports the saddle and a tension member within the bore. The tension member comprises a resilient biasing element oriented such that upward axial movement of the saddle produces a downward bias force on said saddle to compress the head of the bone fastener between said saddle and said socket collar in a provisional holding position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for locating the position of a spinal implant in an intradiscal space patient during surgery, comprising a spinal implant formed of radiolucent material and a releasably attached inserter comprising a positioning element including thereon a marker of material more radiopaque than the material of the spinal implant. The positioning element extends into the implant such that the marker is positioned at a predetermined location within the implant, the positioning element with the radiopaque maker being removable from the spinal implant after insertion. In a particular method of locating the position of the spinal implant, the spinal implant is inserted from the lateral approach.

Abstract: An expandable anterior lumbar interbody fusion device comprises a multiple piece construction that includes an outer shell, movable upper and lower endplates and a pair of laterally spaced supports therebetween. The endplates are initially nested within the outer shell and telescope through the outer shell when expanded by a secondary instrument. Each endplate includes fixation elements to anchor the expanded device in an intervertebral disc space. Bilateral internal pockets are formed within each of the endplates to fully contain the supports. Once the device is expanded, the supports are pushed into place by the instrument in a manner to maintain the expanded position. After the supports are in place, the expander instrument is removed, and the device remains anchored in the expanded state.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for locating the position of a spinal implant in an intradiscal space patient during surgery, comprising a spinal implant formed of radiolucent material and a releasably attached inserter comprising a positioning element including thereon a marker of material more radiopaque than the material of the spinal implant. The positioning element extends into the implant such that the marker is positioned at a predetermined location within the implant, the positioning element with the radiopaque maker being removable from the spinal implant after insertion. In a particular method of locating the position of the spinal implant, the spinal implant is inserted from the lateral approach.