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US006974478B2
(12) United States Patent (io) Patent No.: US 6,974,478 B2
Reiley et al. (45) Date of Patent: Dec. 13,2005
(54) PROSTHESES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS
FOR REPLACEMENT OF NATURAL FACET
JOINTS WITH ARTIFICIAL FACET JOINT
SURFACES
(75) Inventors: Mark A. Reiley, Piedmont, CA (US);
Robert M. Scribner, Niwot, CO (US);
James Davidson, Irvine, CA (US)
(73) Assignee: Archus Orthopedics, Inc., Redmond,
WA (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 74 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/158,563
(22) Filed: May 30, 2002
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2003/0028250 Al Feb. 6, 2003
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/067,137, filed on Feb. 4, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,811,567, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/693, 272, filed on Oct. 20, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,610,091.
(60) Provisional application No. 60/160,891, filed on Oct. 22, 1999.
(51) Int. CI.7 A61F 2/44; A61B 17/56
(52) U.S. CI 623/17.11; 606/61
(58) Field of Search 623/17.11-17.16;
606/60, 70-73, 75