Claims
- 1. A prosthesis to replace all or a portion of a natural facet joint on a vertebral body comprising
a prosthesis body accommodating fixation to the vertebral body at or near a pedicle and without support by a lamina, and an artificial facet joint structure carried by the prosthesis body adapted and configured to replace all or a portion of a natural facet joint.
- 2. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the prosthesis body includes a fastening element installed within the vertebral body at or near a pedicle.
- 3. A prosthesis according to claim 2wherein the fastening element includes a screw installed within the vertebral body at or near a pedicle.
- 4. A prosthesis according to claim 2wherein the fastening element includes a stem installed within the vertebral body at or near a pedicle.
- 5. A prosthesis according to claim 2wherein the fastening element including means for resisting rotation after installation in the vertebral body.
- 6. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the prosthesis body is fixed to the vertebral body by an adhesive or cement.
- 7. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the prosthesis body includes a bony in-growth material.
- 8. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is fixed to the prosthesis body.
- 9. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is fixed to the prosthesis body by an adhesive or cement.
- 10. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is fixed to the prosthesis body by mechanical attachment.
- 11. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is removably carried by the prosthesis body.
- 12. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is removably attached to the prosthesis body by frictional engagement.
- 13. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is removably attached to the prosthesis body by a Morse taper.
- 14. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure comprises an insert fitted to the prosthesis body.
- 15. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure comprises an insert fitted by frictional engagement to the prosthesis body.
- 16. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure comprises an insert fitted by a Morse taper to the prosthesis body.
- 17. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure comprises a removable insert fitted to the prosthesis body.
- 18. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure pivots with respect to the prosthesis body.
- 19. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is adapted and configured to articulate with a portion of a facet joint of an adjoining vertebral body.
- 20. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the artificial facet joint structure is made of at least one selected prosthetic material.
- 21. A prosthesis according to claim 1wherein the selected prosthetic material includes polyethylene, rubber, tantalum, titanium, chrome cobalt, surgical steel, bony in-growth material, ceramic, artificial bone, or a combination thereof.
- 22. A method of replacing, on a vertebral body, all or a portion of a natural facet joint using the prosthesis defined in claim 1 to provide improved support for the spinal column, the method comprising the steps of
(i) removing all or a portion of a natural articular process from the vertebral body, and (ii) fixing the prosthesis as defined in claim 1 to the vertebral body to replace the removed portion of the natural articular process with the artificial facet joint structure.
- 23. A method according to claim 22further including a step of removing at least some of the lamina from the vertebral body.
- 24. A method according to claim 22further including a step of removing at least part of a pedicle from the vertebral body.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/615,727, filed Jul. 9, 2003, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/693,272 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,091), which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/160,891, filed Oct. 22, 1999, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60160891 |
Oct 1999 |
US |
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10615727 |
Jul 2003 |
US |
Child |
10657866 |
Sep 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09693272 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10615727 |
Jul 2003 |
US |