DESIGNED DEGRADABLE CAGE COATED WITH MINERAL LAYERS FOR SPINAL INTERBODY FUSION

摘要

A cage for facilitating fusion of bones, such as vertebrae, or fusion of adjacent bone surfaces is disclosed. In one form, the cage includes a plural ity of spaced apart walls comprising a biodegradable polymeric material (e.g ., polycaprolactone); an osteoconductive mineral coating (e.g., a calcium co mpound) on at least a portion of the walls; and a bioactive agent (e.g., a b one morphogenetic protein) associated with the polymeric material and/or the coating The bioactive agent is present in amount that induces ossification between the bones or adjacent bone surfaces. The cage may also include a fix ation plate connected to at least one of the walls.