Abstract: A fracture mobility testing system is provided for use in surgical procedures for augmenting vertebral bodies having collapsed due to compression fractures. The testing system is utilized to determine if the cortical shell of the vertebral body has begun to heal over the fracture lines to the point at which height restoration is not possible. Depending on the feedback provided by the testing system, the surgeon may elect to proceed with any of a variety of known height restoration techniques if the fractured portions of the vertebral body are still mobile, or may elect for a simple vertebroplasty procedure without height restoration if the feedback from the testing system determines that the cortical outer portions of the fractured vertebral body have fused to one another to the point at which height restoration is no longer an option.

Abstract: A fracture mobility testing system is provided for use in surgical procedures for augmenting vertebral bodies having collapsed due to compression fractures. The testing system is utilized to determine if the cortical shell of the vertebral body has begun to heal over the fracture lines to the point at which height restoration is not possible. Depending on the feedback provided by the testing system, the surgeon may elect to proceed with any of a variety of known height restoration techniques if the fractured portions of the vertebral body are still mobile, or may elect for a simple vertebroplasty procedure without height restoration if the feedback from the testing system determines that the cortical outer portions of the fractured vertebral body have fused to one another to the point at which height restoration is no longer an option.

Abstract: A fracture mobility testing system is provided for use in surgical procedures for augmenting vertebral bodies having collapsed due to compression fractures. The testing system is utilized to determine if the cortical shell of the vertebral body has begun to heal over the fracture lines to the point at which height restoration is not possible. Depending on the feedback provided by the testing system, the surgeon may elect to proceed with any of a variety of known height restoration techniques if the fractured portions of the vertebral body are still mobile, or may elect for a simple vertebroplasty procedure without height restoration if the feedback from the testing system determines that the cortical outer portions of the fractured vertebral body have fused to one another to the point at which height restoration is no longer an option.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra having a central axis. The implant may have a first member with a top surface for contacting at least a portion of the upper vertebra and a bottom surface as well as a second member with a top surface and a bottom surface for contacting at least a portion of the lower vertebra. An elastic spacer may be disposed between the first member and the second member. Contraints may be employed to to limit the amount of lateral movement between the first and second members.

Abstract: A spine retractor and distractor device comprises spinal process clamps and a retractor assembly, which may be rotatably coupled with the spinal process clamps. The retractor assembly may include a retractor ring, or frame, and a plurality of retractor blades adjustably coupled to the frame, e.g., by clamps. The spinal process clamps can maintain a grip on the spinal processes of the patient, and distraction pliers may be used to impart a distraction force on the spinal process clamps to distract the spinal segments. Additionally, other components, features, or tools, e.g., a light source and/or a camera, can be mounted on the instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aiming device (100) for boring a hole in a region of a bone (300) that lies in the vicinity of a joint. Said device consists of a U-shaped bow (110) comprising at least one contact element (120) on one end and on the other end of the bow (110) a screw spindle (130) that can be displaced in the direction of, or in the opposite direction to the contact element (120), said spindle comprising a rotary grip (132) for clamping the device (100) on the region in the vicinity of the joint. The device also comprises a bore bushing (140), which can be placed on and removed from the end comprising the contact element (120). The compression of the bone that is generated by the bow (110) is maintained after the removal of the bore bushing (140) for the insertion of the bone screw.

Abstract: A fracture mobility testing system is provided for use in surgical procedures for augmenting vertebral bodies having collapsed due to compression fractures. The testing system is utilized to determine if the cortical shell of the vertebral body has begun to heal over the fracture lines to the point at which height restoration is not possible. Depending on the feedback provided by the testing system, the surgeon may elect to proceed with any of a variety of known height restoration techniques if the fractured portions of the vertebral body are still mobile, or may elect for a simple vertebroplasty procedure without height restoration if the feedback from the testing system determines that the cortical outer portions of the fractured vertebral body have fused to one another to the point at which height restoration is no longer an option.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra having a central axis. The implant may have a first member with a top surface for contacting at least a portion of the upper vertebra and a bottom surface as well as a second member with a top surface and a bottom surface for contacting at least a portion of the lower vertebra. An elastic spacer may be disposed between the first member and the second member. The bottom surface of the first member and the top surface of the second member may have a first constraint means and the other of the bottom surface of the first member and the top surface of the second member may be provided with a second constraint means, to limit the amount of lateral movement between the first and second members. Additionally, the constraint means may be sized and configured such that a gap with a width greater than zero is provided at least transversely to the central axis between the first and second constraint means in an unloaded state.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra having a central axis. The implant may have a first member with a top surface for contacting at least a portion of the upper vertebra and a bottom surface as well as a second member with a top surface and a bottom surface for contacting at least a portion of the lower vertebra. An elastic spacer may be disposed between the first member and the second member. Contraints may be employed to to limit the amount of lateral movement between the first and second members.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to mandibular prostheses. More particularly, the invention relates to a condylar-head replacement for reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint after resection of the condyloid process. The present invention provides a condylar-head replacement comprising a condylar-head attachment that may be adjustably positioned on a reconstruction plate to achieve various condylar-head heights. The condylar-head height adjustment allows the condylar-head replacement to be fit to a particular patient. The condylar-head replacement of the present invention obviates the need for custom fabrication of a condylar-head replacement for a patient.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra having a central axis. The implant may have a first member with a top surface for contacting at least a portion of the upper vertebra and a bottom surface as well as a second member with a top surface and a bottom surface for contacting at least a portion of the lower vertebra. An elastic spacer may be disposed between the first member and the second member. The bottom surface of the first member and the top surface of the second member may have a first constraint means and the other of the bottom surface of the first member and the top surface of the second member may be provided with a second constraint means, to limit the amount of lateral movement between the first and second members. Additionally, the constraint means may be sized and configured such that a gap with a width greater than zero is provided at least transversely to the central axis between the first and second constraint means in an unloaded state.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to mandibular prostheses. More particularly, the invention relates to a condylar-head replacement for reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint after resection of the condyloid process. The present invention provides a condylar-head replacement comprising a condylar-head attachment that may be adjustably positioned on a reconstruction plate to achieve various condylar-head heights. The condylar-head height adjustment allows the condylar-head replacement to be fit to a particular patient. The condylar-head replacement of the present invention obviates the need for custom fabrication of a condylar-head replacement for a patient.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to mandibular prostheses. More particularly, the invention relates to a condylar-head replacement for reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint after resection of the condyloid process. The present invention provides a condylar-head replacement comprising a condylar-head attachment that may be adjustably positioned on a reconstruction plate to achieve various condylar-head heights. The condylar-head height adjustment allows the condylar-head replacement to be fit to a particular patient. The condylar-head replacement of the present invention obviates the need for custom fabrication of a condylar-head replacement for a patient.

Abstract: A spine retractor and distractor device comprises spinal process clamps and a retractor assembly, which may be rotatably coupled with the spinal process clamps. The retractor assembly may include a retractor ring, or frame, and a plurality of retractor blades adjustably coupled to the frame, e.g., by clamps. The spinal process clamps can maintain a grip on the spinal processes of the patient, and distraction pliers may be used to impart a distraction force on the spinal process clamps to distract the spinal segments. Additionally, other components, features, or tools, e.g., a light source and/or a camera, can be mounted on the instrument.

Abstract: A method for total replacement of an affected intervertebral disc through a dorsal approach comprising the steps of removing the disc material of the affected intervertebral disc (3) and inserting an intervertebral prosthesis (30) into the intervertebral disc space via an extraforaminal path (23).

Abstract: The invention relates to an aiming device (100) for boring a hole in a region of a bone (300) that lies in the vicinity of a joint. Said device consists of a U-shaped bow (110) comprising at least one contact element (120) on one end and on the other end of the bow (110) a screw spindle (130) that can be displaced in the direction of, or in the 141 opposite direction to the contact element (120), said spindle comprising a rotary grip (132) for clamping the device (100) on the region in the vicinity of the joint. The device also comprises a bore bushing (140), which can be placed on and removed from the end comprising the contact element (120). The compression of the bone that is generated by the bow (110) is maintained after the removal of the bore bushing (140) for the insertion of the bone screw.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to mandibular prostheses. More particularly, the invention relates to a condylar-head replacement for reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint after resection of the condyloid process. The present invention provides a condylar-head replacement comprising a condylar-head attachment that may be adjustably positioned on a reconstruction plate to achieve various condylar-head heights. The condylar-head height adjustment allows the condylar-head replacement to be fit to a particular patient. The condylar-head replacement of the present invention obviates the need for custom fabrication of a condylar-head replacement for a patient.