Mesh spacer hybrid spinal implant

1 . A hybrid spinal implant for performing an intervertebral fusion on adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient, and for being located in a space between opposing vertebral end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies, the hybrid spinal implant comprising:

a first spacer comprising a first endplate contacting surface and a second endplate contacting surface, wherein the first endplate contacting surface and the second endplate contacting surface are disposed on opposite sides of the first spacer, and wherein the first spacer is configured so that the first endplate contacting surface is disposed to face a first vertebral endplate of the opposing vertebral endplates, and the second endplate contacting surface is disposed to face a second vertebral endplate of the opposing vertebral endplates when the hybrid spinal implant is implanted in the space between the opposing vertebral end plates;

a second spacer;

a connecting rod spanning longitudinally between the first spacer and the second spacer, wherein the connecting rod includes a container fill port; and

a porous and expandable enclosed container comprising a mesh material and disposed longitudinally between the first spacer and the second spacer and disposed to receive a fill material from the container fill port;

wherein at least one of the first spacer or the second spacer includes a spacer fill port configured as a passage for fill material to pass from an exterior of the respective first spacer or the second spacer and into the connecting rod; and

wherein the connecting rod extends longitudinally through the expandable enclosed container in a direction parallel to the opposing vertebral end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies when the hybrid spinal implant is located in the space between opposing vertebral end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies; and

wherein each of the first spacer and the second spacer comprises a porous titanium scaffold material.

2 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein each of the first spacer and the second spacer are formed of titanium, and wherein the first endplate contacting surface and the second endplate contacting surface of the first spacer are formed of the porous titanium scaffold material for contacting the opposing vertebral end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies.

3 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein each of the first spacer and the second spacer comprises the porous titanium scaffold material and a PEEK material.

4 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the first endplate contacting surface and the second endplate contacting surface of the first spacer comprises a bioactive material.

5 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein an exposed surface of the porous titanium scaffold material is coated in a snag-preventing substance.

6 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant is configured such that the porous and expandable enclosed container is exposed between the first spacer and the second spacer to the opposing vertebral end plates when the implant is implanted in the space between opposing vertebral end plates.

7 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal end of the connecting rod is secured to the first spacer via a threaded fastener that is threaded into the first spacer sufficiently to engage a detent or recess defined in the connecting rod.

8 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first endplate contacting surface or the second endplate contacting surface of the first spacer comprises a textured surface for engaging a respective opposing vertebral end plate of the adjacent vertebral bodies.

9 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second spacers define a non-circular outer perimeter in a cross-section taken perpendicular to their longitudinal axis.

10 . A hybrid spinal implant for performing an intervertebral fusion with a first vertebral endplate of a first vertebral body and with a second vertebral endplate of a second vertebral body, wherein the first vertebral body and the second vertebral body are separated from one another by a disc space, and the first vertebral endplate and the second vertebral endplate face one another, the hybrid spinal implant comprising:

a first spacer (FS) comprising a first FS endplate contacting surface and a second FS endplate contacting surface, wherein the first FS endplate contacting surface and the second FS endplate contacting surface oppose one another;

a second spacer (SS) comprising a first SS endplate contacting surface and a second SS endplate contacting surface, wherein the first SS endplate contacting surface and the second SS endplate contacting surface oppose one another;

a connecting rod that extends longitudinally between the first spacer and the second spacer; and

an expandable container comprising a mesh material and is disposable in an expanded configuration;

wherein the container is disposed circumferentially around a portion of the connecting rod that is disposed between the first spacer and the second spacer, and wherein the container is configured to contain a fill material in the expanded configuration; and

wherein the implant is configured to be disposed in an implanted orientation wherein the first FS endplate contacting surface and the first SS endplate contacting surface are disposed for engagement with the first vertebral endplate, and the second FS endplate contacting surface and the second SS endplate contacting surface are disposed for engagement with the second vertebral endplate; and

wherein each of the first spacer and the second spacer comprises a porous titanium scaffold material.

11 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 10 , wherein each of the first spacer and the second spacer are formed of titanium, and the first FS endplate contacting surface and the second FS endplate contacting surface comprise the porous titanium scaffold material.

12 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 10 , wherein a longitudinal end of the connecting rod is secured to the first spacer via a threaded fastener that is threaded into the first spacer sufficiently to engage a detent or recess defined in the connecting rod.

13 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 10 , wherein the connecting rod includes a container fill port; and

wherein the first spacer includes a spacer fill port configured as a passage for fill material to pass from an exterior of the first spacer and into the connecting rod.

14 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 10 , wherein the connecting rod includes a container fill port; and

wherein the second spacer includes a spacer fill port configured as a passage for fill material to pass from an exterior of the second spacer and into the connecting rod.

15 . The hybrid spinal implant of claim 10 , wherein in the implanted orientation the first FS endplate contacting surface and the first SS endplate contacting surface are disposed for non-threaded engagement with the first vertebral endplate, and the second FS endplate contacting surface and the second SS endplate contacting surface are disposed for non-threaded engagement with the second vertebral endplate.