Vertebral disc prosthesis

An inter-vertebral prosthesis, comprising:

• a cranial endplate (10);
• an caudal endplate (12), arranged in an axial distance from the cranial endplate;
• spring structure provided between the cranial endplate (10) and the caudal endplate (12), the spring structure supporting the cranial endplate (10) and the caudal endplate (12) elastically against each other, the spring structure being comprised of a memory metal alloy, which exhibits super elastic characteristics at body temperature,
• wherein the spring structure comprised of at least one planar structure (14) which is substantially flat and parallel to the cranial endplate (10) and the caudal endplate (12), which is comprised of wires of memory-metal alloy tensioned in the plane of the planar structure (14),
• wherein a central middle area (26) of the planar structure (14) is connected with one of said endplates (10) and an outer-circumferential area (18), that is radially distanced from the central area (26), is connected with the other of said endplates (12), and that the central middle area (26) and the outer-circumference area (18) of the planar structure (14) are capable of deflection relative to each other in an axial direction.