5,676,701 10/1997 Yuan et al 623/17
5,893,889 4/1999 Harrington 623/17
5,895,428 4/1999 Berry 623/17
Primary Examiner—Michael J. Milano
Assistant Examiner—Hieu Phan
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Randall C. Brown; Rick Matos;
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
[57] ABSTRACT
The artificial spinal disc ol the invention is intended to articulate in a manner resembling a human knee articulation. The artificial spinal disc includes two plates each having a planar outer surface and an articulating inner surface. The planar outer surfaces contact adjacent inferior and superior surfaces of two adjacent vertebrae having the spinal disc implanted therebetween. The planar surfaces of the plates are affixed to the adjacent vertebrae. The articulating surfaces of the artificial spinal disc will be generally bimodalshaped such that a first articulating surface will have two convex shaped articulating portions and the second articulating surface will have two concave shaped articulating portions. The concave and convex shaped portions of the respective plates will be generally complementary. The articulation of the artificial spinal disc will generally resemble that of a human knee.
25 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
