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US 2012/0330420 A1Published application
Spinal fusion implants
AssigneeAmedica Corporation
InventorsDarrel S. Brodke, Bret M. Berry, Ashok C. Khandkar, Ramaswamy Lakshminarayanan, Mahendra S. Rao
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Abstract
An improved implant is provided for human implantation, such as a spinal implant for implantation into the intervertebral space between two adjacent vertebrae. Some embodiments include a substrate of high strength biocompatible material, such as doped silicon nitride ceramic for example. In some embodiments, the substrate may also include one or more regions of a controlled porosity analogous to natural bone. In other embodiments, the substrate may comprise the entire implant.
Claims21
A spinal implant, comprising:
- a block comprising a silicon nitride ceramic material, wherein at least a portion of the silicon nitride ceramic material has a flexural strength greater than about 700 Mega-Pascal (MPa), wherein the silicon nitride ceramic material has a toughness greater than about 7 Mega-Pascal root meter (MPam0.5), and wherein the block comprises:
- a top surface configured to support a first adjacent vertebral body;
- a bottom surface configured to support a second adjacent vertebral body;
- and
- one or more sidewalls extending between the top and bottom surfaces.
2 more elements
A spinal implant, comprising:
- a substrate comprising a substantially non-porous doped silicon nitride ceramic material, wherein at least a portion of the doped silicon nitride ceramic material has a flexural strength greater than about 700 Mega-Pascal (MPa), wherein the doped silicon nitride ceramic material has a toughness greater than about 7 Mega-Pascal root meter (MPam0.5), wherein the doped silicon nitride material comprises dopants selected from the group consisting of yttrium oxide, magnesium oxide, strontium oxide, aluminum oxide, and combinations thereof, and wherein the substrate comprises:
- a top surface configured to support a first adjacent vertebral body, wherein the top surface comprises at least one opening extending therethrough;
- a bottom surface configured to support a second adjacent vertebral body, wherein the bottom surface comprises at least one opening, and wherein at least one of the top surface openings connects with at least one of the bottom surface openings such that at least one opening extends all the way through the top surface and the bottom surface of the substrate;
- and
- one or more sidewalls extending between the top and bottom surfaces.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.