Abstract: A surgical treatment for restoring a proper anatomical spacing and alignment to vertebral bones of a scoliosis patient including: determining an angular misalignment associated with at least one pair of adjacent vertebral bones; sequentially inserting and removing a series of progressively wider cylindrical spacer elements into the corresponding intervertebral space between the at least one pair of adjacent vertebral bones until the proper anatomical spacing between the pair of adjacent vertebral bones is restored; for each intervertebral space, inserting a diametrically tapered cylindrical spacer element into the intervertebral space between the corresponding pair of adjacent vertebral bones; and rotating the diametrically tapered cylindrical spacer element such that the rotational orientation of the tapered cylindrical spacer element introduces the appropriate counter offset to the intervertebral space of the previously misaligned scoliotic vertebral bones, thereby restoring the proper anatomical alignment

Abstract: An artificial disc having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by a wave washer having a circumferential extent surrounding a central bore. Various wave washer embodiments disclosed include circumferential extents that are ring-shaped, spiral-shaped, straight, bowed, grooved, wavy, thinning, thickening, and slotted. Various central bores disclosed include simple bores and bores that form a curvate socket. Various plate embodiments disclosed include plates having, on inwardly facing surfaces, a flat surface, a circular recess, or a ball-shaped protuberance that is mateable with the curvate socket. The wave washers are disposable between the plates, through various disclosed couplings, so that the plates compress, rotate and angulate freely relative to one another, enabling the artificial disc to mimic a healthy natural intervertebral disc.

Abstract: An instrument for holding an intervertebral spacer, the instrument including: a shaft having a proximal end forming a handle, and a distal end forming a claw subassembly for holding said spacer; said claw subassembly including a first pincer which is fixed at the distal end of the shaft and a second pincer which is selectively rotateable into and out of spacer holding association with said first pincer to hold and release, respectively, the spacer; and an actuation mechanism for selectively rotating the second pincer.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer device having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one force restoring element. The preferred force restoring mechanism is a spiral-shaped radially diminishing amplitude wave washer.

Abstract: An instrument for inserting and removing an intervertebral spacer into and out from an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebral bones, the spacer having a trunk portion having a longitudinal axis and flange portions at each longitudinal end of the trunk, the instrument including: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; the proximal end including a handle; and a holding structure provided at the distal end, which holding structure includes an enclosure within which the trunk of the spacer may be selectively introduced and maintained therein, the holding structure having an opening leading to the enclosure and through which opening the trunk of the spacer may be selectively passed to when forced therethough.

Abstract: An orthopedic device set, including: a plurality of intervertebral spacers elements, each spacer element having a cylindrical shape and an annular groove formed therein, each spacer element further having a different axial thickness from each other spacer; and an instrument for holding each of the intervertebral spacer elements during the insertion and removal thereof into and out from between adjacent vertebral bones; the instrument comprising a shaft having a distal end, a spacer element holding structure formed at the distal end, which spacer element holding structure can hold the spacer at the annular groove thereof.

Abstract: A porous intervertebral spacer having a flexible wire mesh as a vertebral body contact surface, the flexible wire mesh preferably being a convex titanium mesh laser-welded at its perimeter to the spacer. The mesh is domed in its initial undeflected conformation, but deflects as necessary during insertion of the spacer between vertebral bodies, and, once the spacer is seated between the vertebral bodies, deforms as necessary under anatomical loads to reshape itself to the concave surface of the vertebral endplate, providing gripping and holding strength upon initial implantation, and an osteoinductive surface through which the bone may ultimately grow, making the fixation of the spacer between the vertebral bodies secure.

Abstract: A surgical treatment for restoring proper anatomical spacing and alignment to vertebral bones including: determining an angular misalignment associated with adjacent vertebral bones; sequentially inserting and removing a series of progressively wider cylindrical spacer elements into the corresponding intervertebral space between the adjacent vertebral bones until the proper anatomical spacing between the adjacent vertebral bones is restored; for each intervertebral space, inserting a diametrically tapered cylindrical porous spacer element into the intervertebral space between the corresponding adjacent vertebral bones; rotating the diametrically tapered cylindrical porous spacer element such that the rotational orientation of the tapered cylindrical porous spacer element introduces the appropriate counter offset to the intervertebral space of the previously misaligned scoliotic vertebral bones, thereby restoring the proper anatomical alignment of the vertebral bones; and stabilizing the adjacent vertebral bon

Abstract: An intervertebral space distraction assembly including: a plurality of sequentially axially wider disc spacer elements, the sequential insertion and removal of which, into an intervertebral space effects a widening of the intervertebral space, such that a desired anatomical spacing of adjacent vertebral bones may be restored.

Abstract: An orthopedic device set, including: a plurality of intervertebral spacer elements, each spacer element having a different axial thickness from each other element, the axial thicknesses being selected to increase by an increment from one element to another; and an instrument for holding ones of the intervertebral spacer elements, the instrument comprising a shaft having a distal end, a selectively grasping subassembly for alternatively rigidly holding each spacer element at the distal end so that the spacer element cannot move relative to the instrument, and releasing the spacer element.

Abstract: An instrument for insertion, implanting, and removing a cylindrical inter vertebral spacer member having a deep circumferential groove, including: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end forming a handle and the distal end forming a spacer member engaging subassembly; said spacer member engaging subassembly including at least one selectively expanding and contracting enclosure into which a central core of the spacer member may be introduced when the engaging subassembly is in the expanded state, and which holds the spacer member so that it cannot move when the selectively expanding and contracting enclosure is rendered into the contracted state; and an actuating mechanism, extending from the proximal end to the distal end, by which the spacer member engaging subassembly may be selectively expanded and contracted.

Abstract: An instrument for inserting an implant between vertebral bodies, including a holder adapted to hold the implant during insertion of the implant between the vertebral bodies, a retractor adapted to retract the holder away from the implant after the insertion, and a guard adapted to prevent the implant from being removed from between the vertebral bodies during the retraction.

Abstract: An intervertebral space distraction and implantable device assembly provides sequentially axially wider spacers that are to be sequentially inserted into and removed from an intervertebral space to widen the space until a desired anatomical spacing of the adjacent vertebral bones is restored. The set of spacers includes a porous spacer that is as wide as the spacer that restores the desired anatomical spacing. The porous spacer can therefore be left implanted in the intervertebral space to promote fusion of the adjacent vertebral bones.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer device having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one force restoring element. The preferred force restoring mechanism is a wave washer. In a first embodiment the wave washer is ring-shaped. In a second embodiment the wave washer is spiral-shaped.

Abstract: A screw and coupling element assembly for use with an orthopedic rod implantation apparatus includes a screw that has a head and a shaft that extends from the head, a coupling element that has a seat within which the head can be seated such that the shaft protrudes from the coupling element, and a locking element that can be mated with the coupling element and that thereafter can be selectively moved through a plurality of positions including an unlocked position and a locked position. When the locking element is in the unlocked position, the locking element presents a rod-receiving channel and the head is movable in the seat such that the shaft can be directed in a plurality of angles relative to the coupling element. When the locking element is in the locked position, a rod disposed within the rod-receiving channel is fixed relative to the coupling element and the head is immovable in the seat such that the shaft is fixed at an angle relative to the coupling element.

Abstract: A surgical treatment for restoring a proper anatomical spacing and alignment to vertebral bones of a scoliosis patient including: determining an angular misalignment associated with at least one pair of adjacent vertebral bones; sequentially inserting and removing a series of progressively wider cylindrical spacer elements into the corresponding intervertebral space between the at least one pair of adjacent vertebral bones until the proper anatomical spacing between the pair of adjacent vertebral bones is restored; for each intervertebral space, inserting a diametrically tapered cylindrical spacer element into the intervertebral space between the corresponding pair of adjacent vertebral bones; and rotating the diametrically tapered cylindrical spacer element such that the rotational orientation of the tapered cylindrical spacer element introduces the appropriate counter offset to the intervertebral space of the previously misaligned scoliotic vertebral bones, thereby restoring the proper anatomical alignment

Abstract: An instrument for inserting an implant between vertebral bodies, including a holder adapted to hold the implant during insertion of the implant between the vertebral bodies, a retractor adapted to retract the holder away from the implant after the insertion, and a guard adapted to prevent the implant from being removed from between the vertebral bodies during the retraction.

Abstract: A surgical treatment for distracting vertebral bodies to their proper anatomical spacing including sequentially inserting and removing a series of progressively wider cylindrical spacer elements into the intervertebral space between adjacent vertebral bones until the distance between the vertebral bones is anatomically appropriate.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer device having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one spring mechanism. A first plate of this embodiment includes a post extending upwardly from the inner surface of the plate, the post including a ball-shaped head. The post is designed to flexibly support a belleville washer, which can be selectively mounted to the head such that the wider portion of the washer seats against the second plate. Compression of the assembly causes a deflection of the belleville washer. The belleville washer of this invention has a radially varying thickness which permits the load deflection profile to mimic that of the natural cartilage which is being replaced.

Abstract: An intervertebral spacer having opposing plates seatable against opposing vertebral bones, separated by at least one spring mechanism, preferably a spirally slotted belleville washer having a wide end rigidly fixed to an upper plate and a narrow end rotatably mounted to a lower plate. The lower plate includes an inwardly deflecting central post extending upwardly from the inner surface of the lower plate, the post including a head that is received through a central opening in the narrow end of the washer so that the washer is restricted from angulation with respect to the lower plate, but allowed to rotate with respect to the lower plate so that the plates can rotate relative to one another. The plates can angulate relative to one another because the washer deflects under lateral deflection forces and return to its undeflected shape when the forces are relieved.