Synthetic intervertebral disc prosthesis

A synthetic intervertebral disc prosthesis of flexible, non-porous, biologically compatible material, for replacing a natural intervertebral disc, comprising:

• a substantially oval disc of about the same size and shape as the natural intervertebral disc which it replaces, including a convex upper surface for abutting a lower surface of a first vertebra, a convex lower surface for abutting an upper surface of a second vertebra located adjacent and below said first vertebra, a fluid-tight cavity between said upper surface and said lower surface of the prosthesis and gripping means for frictionally engaging at least one of said lower surface of the first vertebra and upper surface of the second vertebra, said gripping means being situated on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the prosthesis, said gripping means including at least one raised protrusion providing frictional adhesion to the adjacent vertebra surface, wherein at least a portion of said gripping means is positioned in a substantially closed ring configuration on at least one of the upper surface and lower surface of the prosthesis, and
• at least one of said gripping means on at least one of the upper surface or lower surface of the prosthesis further comprises a plurality of suction cups.

A synthetic intervertebral disc prosthesis of flexible, non-porous, biologically compatible materials, for replacing a natural intervertebral disc, comprising:

• a substantially oval disc of about the same size and shape as the natural intervertebral disc which it replaces, including a convex upper surface for non-invasively abutting a lower surface of a first vertebra, a convex lower surface for non-invasively abutting an upper surface of a second vertebra located adjacent and below said first vertebra, a fluid-tight cavity between said upper surface and said lower surface, and
• gripping means for frictionally engaging at least one of said lower surface of the first vertebra and upper surface of the second vertebra, said gripping means being situated on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the prosthesis, said gripping means including at least one raised protrusion providing frictional adhesion to the adjacent vertebra surface,
• wherein at least a portion of said raised protrusion is positioned in a substantially closed ring configuration on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the prosthesis.

A synthetic intervertebral disc prosthesis of flexible, non-porous, biologically compatible materials, for replacing a natural intervertebral disc, comprising:

• a substantially oval disc of about the same size and shape as the natural intervertebral disc which it replaces, including a convex upper surface for abutting a lower surface of a first vertebra, a convex lower surface for abutting an upper surface of a second vertebra located adjacent and below said first vertebra, a fluid-tight cavity between said upper surface and said lower surface, and
• gripping means for frictionally engaging at least one of said lower surface of the first vertebra and upper surface of the second vertebra, said gripping means being situated on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the prosthesis, said gripping means including at least one raised protrusion providing frictional adhesion to the adjacent vertebra surface, wherein at least a portion of said raised protrusion is positioned in a substantially closed ring configuration on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the prosthesis, and
• wherein at least a portion of said protrusion further comprises a plurality of suction cups positioned thereon.

A synthetic intervertebral disc prosthesis of flexible, non-porous, biologically compatible material, for replacing a natural intervertebral disc, comprising:

• an upper surface for abutting a lower surface of a first vertebra, a lower surface for abutting an upper surface of a second vertebra located adjacent and below said first vertebra, a fluid-tight cavity between said upper surface and said lower surface, and
• gripping means on said upper surface and said lower surface including at least one suction cup for frictional adhesion to at least one of said lower surface of the first vertebra and upper surface of the second vertebra,
• wherein the gripping means comprises a plurality of suction cups positioned in a ring configuration.