Intervertebral disk prosthesis

1. An intervertebral disk prosthesis for use in the vertebral column, comprising:

a base plate;

a top plate;

a core arranged in between the base plate and the top plate and being in contact with the base plate and the top plate, wherein the core has a curved surface on a side facing the top plate and a curved surface on a side facing the base plate, the curved surfaces forming sliding faces;

the top plate having a curved section in sliding engagement with the curved surface of the core facing the top plate;

the base plate having a curved section in sliding engagement with the curved surface of the core facing the base plate;

wherein the core comprises an upper body defining the curved surface on the side facing the top plate, a lower body defining the curved surface on the side facing the base plate and an annular intermediate elastic body between and separating the upper and lower bodies to provide cushioning for the prosthesis;

wherein the sliding engagements provide for respective rotational movement of the top plate and the base plate substantially about a central axis of the core extending from the upper body to the lower body, and respective sliding movement of the top plate and the base plate with respect to the core from first positions where respective axes of rotation of the top plate and the base plate form first angles with the central axis of the core to second positions where the respective axes of rotation of the top plate and the base plate form second angles with the central axis of the core;

wherein the intermediate elastic body is configured to extend primarily in a plane generally perpendicular to the vertebral column; and

wherein the prosthesis is configured to replace the vertebral disk.

2. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , the top plate having an outer edge and the base plate having an outer edge, wherein the base plate and the top plate each have teeth on their outer edges extending vertically outwards away from the core to engage in an adjacent wall of a vertebra in the vertebral column.

3. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein along the central axis of the core a mandrel is provided to limit the relative movement between the base plate and the top plate about the central axis of the core.

4. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the base plate is cylindrical in shape to accommodate a cylindrical casing that is operable to be placed on the cylindrical base plate.

5. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 4 , wherein the cylindrical casing has two opposite ends and teeth located in one of its ends to engage an adjacent wall of a vertebral body.

6. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the curved section of the top plate is concave.

7. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the curved section of the base plate is concave.

8. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the annular intermediate elastic body has a bore extending therethrough in a direction from the lower body to the upper body and the lower body and the upper body are located outside the bore.

9. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , wherein the respective first angles and the corresponding second angles have different sizes.

10. An intervertebral disk prosthesis for use in the vertebral column, comprising:

a base plate;

a top plate;

a core arranged in between the base plate and the top plate and being in contact with the base plate and the top plate, wherein the core has a curved surface on a side facing the top plate and a curved surface on a side facing the base plate, the curved surfaces forming sliding faces;

the top plate having a curved section in sliding engagement with the curved surface of the core facing the top plate;

the base plate having a curved section in sliding engagement with the curved surface of the core facing the base plate;

wherein the core comprises an upper body defining the curved surface on the side facing the top plate, a lower body defining the curved surface on the side facing the base plate and an intermediate elastic body between and separating the upper and lower bodies to provide cushioning for the prosthesis;

wherein the intermediate elastic body is configured to extend primarily in a plane generally perpendicular to the vertebral column;

wherein the prosthesis is configured to replace the vertebral disk; and

wherein the core has a bore extending from the base plate through the intermediate elastic body to the top plate and wherein a connecting sleeve is provided within the bore of the intermediate elastic body to engage the base plate and the top plate.

11. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 10 , wherein at least one screw is screwed into the connecting sleeve to connect the base plate, the top plate, and the core to each other.

12. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 10 wherein the sliding engagements provide for rotational movement of the top plate and the base plate substantially about a central axis of the core extending from the upper body to the lower body, and respective sliding movement of the top plate and the base plate from first angular positions relative to the central axis of the core to second angular positions relative to the central axis of the core.

13. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to one of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 10 or 11 wherein the curved sections of the base plate and the top plate are constructed as convex and the curved surfaces of the core are constructed as concave.

14. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to one of claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 10 or 11 wherein the curved sections of the base plate and the top plate are constructed as concave and the curved surfaces of the core are constructed as convex.

15. An intervertebral disk prosthesis for use in the vertebral column, comprising:

a base plate;

a top plate;

a core arranged in between the base plate and the top plate and being in contact with the base plate and the top plate, wherein the core has a curved surface on a side facing the top plate and a curved surface on a side facing the base plate, the curved surfaces forming sliding faces;

the top plate having a curved section in sliding engagement with the curved surface of the core facing the top plate;

the base plate having a curved section in sliding engagement with the curved surface of the core facing the base plate;

wherein the core comprises an upper body defining the curved surface on the side facing the top plate, a lower body defining the curved surface on the side facing the base plate and an annular intermediate elastic body between and entirely separating the upper and lower bodies to provide cushioning for the prosthesis;

wherein the sliding engagements provide for respective rotational movement of the top plate and the base plate substantially about a central axis of the core extending from the upper body to the lower body, and respective sliding movement of the top plate and the base plate with respect to the core from first positions where respective axes of rotation of the top plate and the base plate form first angles with the central axis of the core to second positions where the respective axes of rotation of the top plate and the base plate form second angles with the central axis of the core;

wherein the intermediate elastic body is configured to extend primarily in a plane generally perpendicular to the vertebral column; and

wherein the prosthesis is configured to replace the vertebral disk.

16. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 15 , wherein the respective first angles and the corresponding second angles have different sizes.