Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
5
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. An intervertebral implant for fusion of vertebrae, the implant being made
of a
substantially pure porous ceramic material and having a longitudinal axis, the
implant
comprising:
top and bottom surfaces configured and dimensioned to contact end plates of
the
vertebrae; and
an outer side surface extending substantially from the top surface to the
bottom surface,
and having a three-dimensional texture for promoting initial stability.
2. An implant as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant has a substantially
cylindrical shape extending along its longitudinal axis.
3. An intervertebral implant for fusion of vertebrae, the implant comprising a
body
made of a substantially pure porous ceramic material, the body having top and
bottom
surfaces configured and dimensioned to contact end plates of the vertebrae,
and the body
having an outer side surface extending substantially from the top surface to
the bottom
surface, the outer side surface having a three-dimensional texture with a
depth from 0.5
mm to 1 mm.
4. An implant as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the ceramic material has
a
porosity of less than about 30 vol.%.
5. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein pores of the
ceramic
material are open to air.
6. An implant as defined in claim 5, wherein the pores have a width of less
than
about 100 µm.
7. An intervertebral implant for fusion of vertebrae, the implant being made
of a
substantially pure ceramic material having a porosity of less than about 30
vol.% and
pores which are open to air, the implant comprising:
6
top and bottom surfaces configured and dimensioned to contact end plates of
the
vertebrae, at least one of the top and bottom surfaces being not planar; and
an outer side surface extending substantially from the top surface to the
bottom surface,
and having a three-dimensional texture for promoting initial stability.
8. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the implant has
a bore
extending from the top surface to the bottom surface and forming an interior
for receiving
a bone-grafting material.
9. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ceramic
material
has a porosity of less than about 5 vol. %.
10. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one of
the top
and bottom surfaces has a plurality of grooves and ridges for promoting
initial stability of
the implant.
11. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the implant
has at
least one hole for receiving a surgical instrument for manipulating the
implant.
12. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a
jacket
having walls with a thickness of at least about 6 mm, for preventing
penetration of the
implant through the end plates.
13. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the ceramic
material
has a density of greater than about 2.8 g/cm3.
14. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the ceramic
material
is polycrystalline.
15. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the ceramic
material
has an impurity content of less than about 3% by weight.
7
16. An implant as defined in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the ceramic
material
has a compressive strength from about 400 MPa to about 600 MPa.
17. An implant as defined any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the ceramic
material is
radiolucent.
18. An intervertebral implant for fusion of vertebrae, the implant formed of a
resorbable material and comprising:
top and bottom surfaces configured and dimensioned to contact end plates of
the
vertebrae; and
an outer side surface extending substantially from the top surface to the
bottom surface
and having an additional three-dimensional texture added thereto for promoting
initial
stability, the three-dimensional texture comprising openings on the outer side
surface
having a depth from about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm.
19. An intervertebral implant for fusion of vertebrae, the implant comprising:
a body made of a resorbable material and having top and bottom surfaces
configured
and dimensioned to contact end plates of the vertebrae, and the body having an
outer side
surface extending substantially from the top surface to the bottom surface,
the outer side
surface having additional three-dimensional texturing added thereto for
promoting initial
stability comprising openings with a depth from 0.5 mm to 1 mm.
20. An implant as defined in claim 18 or 19, wherein the resorbable material
has a
porosity of less than about 30 vol.%.
21. An intervertebral implant as defined in claim 18 or 19, wherein at least
one of the
top and bottom surfaces is not planar, and the implant is formed of a
resorbable material
having a porosity of less than about 30 vol.%.
22. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the implant
has a
substantially cylindrical shape extending along a longitudinal axis.
8
23. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein the implant
has a
bore extending from the top surface to the bottom surface that forms an
interior for
receiving a bone-grafting material.
24. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 22, further comprising a
bore
extending from the top surface toward the bottom surface and forming an inner
surface,
with a wall defined between the outer side surface and the inner surface
having a
thickness of at least about 6 mm.
25. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 24, wherein the
resorbable
material has a porosity of less than about 5 vol.%.
26. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 25, wherein the
resorbable
material has pores that are open to air.
27. An implant as defined in claim 26, wherein the pores have a width of less
than
about 100 µm.
28. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 27, wherein the three
dimensional texture further comprises grooves having a width of 0.5 mm to 1
mm.
29. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 28, wherein at least one
of the
top and bottom surfaces comprises a plurality of grooves and ridges for
promoting initial
stability of the implant.
30. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 29, further comprising at
least
one hole for receiving a surgical instrument for manipulating the implant.
31. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 30, wherein the
resorbable
material has a density of greater than about 2.8 g/cm3.
32. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 31, wherein the
resorbable
material is a ceramic.
9
33. An implant as defined in claim 32, wherein the resorbable material is a
polycrystalline ceramic.
34. An implant as defined in claim 33, wherein the ceramic has an impurity
content
of less than about 3% by weight.
35. An implant as defined in claim 33 or 34, wherein the ceramic has a
compressive
strength from 400 MPa to 600 MPa.
36. An implant as defined in any one of claims 18 to 35, wherein the
resorbable
material is radiolucent.