Prosthetic implant with biplanar angulation and compound angles

Abstract

A prosthetic implant, and more particularly, with a prosthetic implant having biplanar angulation and that can be inserted into a disk area generally straight using a posterolateral approach.

1 . A fusion cage comprising:
 a cage body having a plurality of surfaces;   said plurality of surfaces cooperating to define a multi-planar angulation adapted to achieve substantially flush fitment in a disk space between adjacent vertebrae when said fusion cage is inserted in said disk space.   
     
     
         2 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method for fusing bones, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a cage adapted to be inserted into a disk area substantially diagonally or in an angled direction with respect to an anterior-posterior axis, said cage having a first surface lying in a first plane and a second surface lying in a second plane; and   inserting said cage in said substantially diagonal or angled direction such that said first and second surfaces engage a surface of a first vertebrae and a second vertebrae substantially flush.   
     
     
         33 . The method as recited in  32  wherein said method further comprises the step of:
 providing a cage having said first and second surfaces that cooperate to define a compound angle to provide a biplanar angulation. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method as recited in  32  wherein said method further comprises the step of:
 providing a cage having a cage body comprising a longitudinal plane along a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional plane along a cross-sectional axis that is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, said cage body not being volumetrically symmetrical about either of said longitudinal plane or said cross-sectional plane. 
 
     
     
         35 . The method as recited in  claim 32  wherein said method further comprises the step of:
 providing a cage having a first surface and a second surface and a first side and a second side coupling said first and second surfaces; 
 said first side defining a first side area, said second side defining a second side area, wherein said first and second side areas are different. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method as recited in  claim 32  wherein said method further comprises the step of:
 providing a cage that defines a trapezoid or trapezium in a cross-sectional plane that is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
         37 . The method as recited in  claim 32  wherein said method further comprises the step of:
 providing a cage having a first surface generally opposed to a second surface, said first and second surfaces defining a compound angle and cooperating to define a biplanar angulation. 
 
     
     
         38 . The method as recited in  claim 37  wherein said method further comprises the step of:
 providing a cage with said first surface lying in a first plane and said second surface lying in a second plane, said first and second planes being non-parallel and defining a plurality of acute angles. 
 
     
     
         39 . The method as recited in  claim 32  wherein said inserting step occurs during a posterolateral approach. 
     
     
         40 . The method as recited in  claim 32  wherein said method further comprises the step of providing a plurality of different sized cages from which a user selects said cage. 
     
     
         41 . A prosthetic implant system comprising:
 a fusion cage comprising a cage body having a plurality of surfaces, said plurality of surfaces cooperating to define a multi-planar angulation adapted to achieve substantially flush fitment in a lordotic disk space between adjacent vertebrae when said fusion cage is inserted in said lordotic disk space; and   an insertion tool for securing to said fusion cage to permit a user to insert and place said fusion cage into a disk area using a posterolateral approach.   
     
     
         42 - 52 . (canceled)