Importance

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Abstract

An implant is provided which has an upper member which pivots and is locked to a lower member and engages adjacent vertebrae and have surfaces which are ceramic and will allow bone growth into such surfaces and thus bonding with the adjacent vertebra. The opposing and bearing surfaces of the upper and lower member are coated with ceramic zirconium for long wear. Since the upper and lower members are captured, the implant device herein cannot be forced out of place by spinal tension. Particularly for the lower spinal vertebrae, the option of securing the upper and lower members with screws is facilitated. A vertebral replacement system using components in common with the implant is used to make a spaced connection between two pivoting points and is used to replace badly damaged vertebrae where the load bearing portion of the vertebra will be insufficient to allow normal support. It is expected that the implant and vertebral replacement will have several sizes corresponding to the spinal cross sectional shape being bonded to, and that exact dimensioning will be obtained through tomographic scans to enable rapid final sculpting of a highly customized implant.

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First Claim