| abstract |
The invention provides a spinal disc implant comprising two side walls which are opposed and substantially parallel spaced apart by a front wall and a back wall to define an interior space. The side walls define substantially elliptical curves joining the front and back walls. The front wall is also curved and the back wall may be either curved or straight. The walls may have openings or holes which may be circular or elliptical in shape. The upper and lower edges of the implant have a plurality of teeth extending therefrom for engaging adjacent vertebrae. The implant is made of a biocompatible metal such as titanium or an alloy thereof, and the first and second sides tapering from the second end to the first end. The interior space has a porous hydroxyapatite block shaped to fill the interior space. The porous hydroxyapatite substance helps the prosthesis integrate into the vertebral structure by allowing into the pores. |