Importance

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Abstract

A connecting device for use in attaching together at least two adjacent vertebrae comprises upper and lower plate members adapted to be fixedly secured respectively to adjacent upper and lower vertebrae via fasteners, e.g. screws. The upper and lower plate members are provided with respective male and female guide elements that are slidable engaged together so as to allow a relative translational displacement between the upper and lower plate members in response to a similar relative displacement between the upper and lower vertebrae that alters a spacing therebetween. The male guide element comprises longitudinal guide ways, and the female guide element comprises a channel for slidably receiving the male guide element and a pair of side guides extending inwardly and slidably engaged in the guide ways of said male guide element. The female guide element defines a longitudinal slot, and the male guide element comprises a pin extending perpendicularly to a direction of the aforementioned relative displacement and engaged in the slot. A method includes: removing at least part of a disc from an intervertebral space defined between a pair of adjacent vertebrae that include upper and lower vertebrae; and securing first and second plate members respectively to the upper and lower vertebrae, said first and second plate members being capable of relatively displacing for accommodating a change in a distance between the upper and lower vertebrae; wherein a bone graft is positioned in the intervertebral space.

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First Claim