Bone implant, in particular, an inter-vertebral implant

Claim 2

An inter-vertebral implant made of a radiation-permeable material having a substantially circular-shaped hollow body with a sleeve, the inter-vertebral implant defining a surface and comprising: a front section, a back section, and two lateral sections defining a central axis, wherein the hollow body being subdivided by at least two partitions, the at least two partitions running essentially parallel to the central axis and connecting the front section to the back section and the at least two partitions have at least one perforation, and wherein the perforations of the partitions are at least partially filled with an X-ray-opaque filler material.

Claim 3

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein the partitions are trussed together by a cross strut.

Claim 4

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein the perforations in each of the partitions have a minimum area of about 3.5 mm 2 .

Claim 5

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein each of the two lateral sections have at least one perforation having a minimum area of about 3.5 mm 2 .

Claim 6

The bone implant of claim 4 , wherein the perforations of the two lateral sections are at least partially filled with an X-ray-opaque filler material.

Claim 7

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-permeable material is formed from at least one of the group consisting of polyarylether ketone (PAEK), polyethermide (PEI), polyoxymethylene (POM), liquid-crystal polymer (LCP), polymethyl pentene (PMP), polysulfone (PSU), polyether sulfone (PESU or PES), polyethylene terephthalate (PETP), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and ultra-high molecular polyethylene (UHMW-PE).

Claim 8

The bone implant of the claim 1 , wherein the radiation-permeable material is strengthened with fibers, the fibers being at least one of the group selected from carbon fibers, glass fibers, and PEEK fibers.

Claim 9

The bone implant of claim 1 having a total volume, V, and the hollow body having a volume, v, and wherein the ratio of V:v between the total volume V of the bone implant and the volume v of the hollow body ranges from about 1.9 to about 2.3.

Claim 10

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the surface has an X-ray-transparent coating.

Claim 11

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the surface has a thin coating having substantially no effect on the X-ray-transparency.

Claim 12

The bone implant of claim 10 , wherein the coating is made of a ceramic material, the ceramic material being hydroxyapatite or tricalcium phosphate.

Claim 13

The bone implant of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is at least partially filled with a filler material selected from at least one of the group consisting of calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, demineralized bone, autologous bone, coralline substances, and a resorbable polymer.

Claim 14

The bone implant of claim 12 , wherein the polymer is substantially porous.

Claim 15

An inter-vertebral bone implant, made entirely or in part of a radiation-permeable material comprising a substantially circular-shaped hollow body with a sleeve, the intervertebral implant defining a surface and comprising: a front section, a back section, and two lateral sections defining a central axis, the hollow body being subdivided by at least two partitions, the at least two partitions running essentially parallel to the central axis and connecting the front section to the back section, the at least two partitions trussed together by a cross strut, wherein the at least two partitions have at least one perforation, and wherein the perforations of the partitions are at least partially filled with an X-ray-opaque filler material.

Claim 16

An inter-vertebral bone implant, made entirely or in part of a radiation-permeable material comprising a substantially circular-shaped hollow body with a sleeve, the intervertebral implant defining a surface and comprising: a front section, a back section, and two lateral sections defining a central axis, the hollow body being subdivided by at least two partitions, the at least two partitions running essentially parallel to the central axis and connecting the front section to the back section, the at least two partitions trussed together by a cross strut, wherein the at least two partitions have at least one perforation, and wherein the perforations of the partitions are at least partially filled with an X-ray-opaque filler material.

Claim 17

The bone implant of claim 14 , wherein the two lateral sections have at least one perforation.

Claim 18

The bone implant of claim 14 , wherein the perforations have a minimum area of about 3.5 mm 2 .

Claim 19

The bone implant of the claim 14 , wherein the radiation-permeable material is strengthened with fibers.

Claim 20

The bone implant of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the surface has a substantially X-ray-transparent coating.

Claim 21

The bone implant of claim 14 , wherein the hollow body is filled at least partially with a filler made entirely or in part of a resorbable polymer.

Claim 22

An inter-vertebral implant, made entirely or in part of a radiation permeable material defining a surface, the implant comprising: an outer sleeve defining a central chamber for receiving a filler material and configured for permitting new bone growth therethrough, the outer sleeve having a front section, a back section, and first and second lateral sections; a first partition and a second partition, the first and second partitions connecting the front section to the back section so as to subdivide the central chamber, the first and second partitions spaced relative to one another and formed with the outer sleeve so as to define superior and inferior support areas for engaging and supporting endplates of inter-vertebral bodies adjacent said implant; a plurality of perforations in the outer sleeve and the first and second partitions, the outer sleeve perforations in fluid communication with the central chamber for receiving and fixing the filler material with respect to the implant, and wherein a cross brace is located between the first and second partitions for laterally supporting the first and second partitions and at least a portion of the surface has surface irregularities for fixation of the new bone growth.

Claim 23

An inter-vertebral implant, made entirely or in part of a radiation permeable material defining a surface, the implant comprising: an outer sleeve defining a central chamber for receiving a filler material and configured for permitting new bone growth therethrough, the outer sleeve having a front section, a back section, and first and second lateral sections; a first partition and a second partition, the first and second partitions connecting the front section to the back section so as to subdivide the central chamber, the first and second partitions spaced relative to one another and formed with the outer sleeve so as to define superior and inferior support areas for engaging and supporting endplates of inter-vertebral bodies adjacent said implant; a plurality of perforations in the outer sleeve and the first and second partitions, the outer sleeve perforations in fluid communication with the central chamber for receiving and fixing the filler material with respect to the implant, and wherein a cross brace is located between the first and second partitions for laterally supporting the first and second partitions and at least a portion of the surface has surface irregularities for fixation of the new bone growth.

Claim 24

The bone implant of claim 20 , wherein the superior and inferior support areas define opposed convex profiles.

Claim 25

The bone implant of claim 21 , wherein the superior and inferior support areas each have a first portion having pyramidal teeth for engaging an adjacent vertebral body.

Claim 26

The bone implant of claim 20 , wherein the cross brace is located in the central chamber so as to be completely between the superior support area and the inferior support area.

Claim 27

The bone implant of claim 20 , wherein a portion of the front section and a portion of the back section define parallel first and second walls, and a portion of the first lateral section and a portion of the second lateral section define parallel third and fourth walls, each of the first, second, third and fourth walls having perforations in communication with the central chamber.

Claim 28

The bone implant of claim 24 , wherein the third and fourth parallel walls are substantially perpendicular to the first and second parallel walls.

Claim 29

The bone implant of claim 24 , wherein the perforations of the partitions are substantially aligned with the perforations of the third and fourth walls.

Claim 30

The bone implant of claim 14 having a total volume, V, and the hollow body having a volume, v, and wherein the ratio of V:v between the total volume V of the bone implant and the volume v of the hollow body ranges from about 1.9 to about 2.3.