IMPLANT FOR TOTAL DISC REPLACEMENT, AND METHOD OF FORMING

摘要

An implant to replace damaged discs while preserving motion between adjacent vertebrae is composed of a flexible core and two porous end plates at the top and bottom of the implant. The porous end plates permit both oseointegration and binding of the flexible core by gross mechanical interlock. The bone integration properties and integration of the flexible core are provided by having pores of a distribution of sizes centered between 25 microns and 2 mm. The primary function of the porous end plates is to bond the flexible core to the vertebrae. The porous end plates are in close contact with the vertebrae to allow bone ingrowth. This provides an integration of the implant and less-constrained movement of the articulation compared to fusion or ball and socket articulations. This implant is simple to manufacture and assemble since it is only composed of a flexible core covered by porous end plates.