Articulating spacer

摘要

Spinal implants are disclosed. One spinal implant includes a support body, an articulating element, a blocking member and a motion limiting member. The support body includes a superior end surface and a lower end surface having teeth. In between the superior end surface and the lower end surface is a recess formed in a sidewall of the support body for receiving the articulating element. The blocking member can be received in the recess to prevent inadvertent back-out of the articulating element from within the recess. The articulating element can articulate in one or more directions, thereby allowing articulation of the spinal implant into a desired position within a disc space.

主权项

1. A surgical method comprising:
forming an incision in a patient; attaching an implant to an installation instrument, wherein the implant comprises a support body having a superior end surface, an inferior end surface, a longitudinal opening formed through the support body, a side recess formed in the support body, and an articulating element received in the recess, wherein the articulating element is spherical and is configured with a top and bottom surface with bump outs; delivering the implant to a disc space; and disengaging the implant from the installation instrument and positioning the implant in the disc space.