Intervertebral disk prosthesis

1. An intervertebral disk prosthesis suitable for being put into place between two vertebrae by the posterior technique or by the anterior technique, the prosthesis comprising:

a first fixing element having an anchoring first face for anchoring the first fixing element to one of the two vertebrae, and a co-operation second face;

a first prosthesis element having an active first face and a co-operation second face, the co-operation faces of the first fixing element and of the first prosthesis element, respectively, being fixed in opposition to each other such that the first fixing element and the first prosthesis element are fixed to one another in a plane substantially orthogonal to the axis of the vertebrae;

a second fixing element having an anchoring first face for anchoring the second fixing element to in the other of the two vertebrae and a co-operation second face; and

a second prosthesis element having an active first face and a co-operation second face, the co-operation faces of the second fixing element and of the second prosthesis element, respectively, being fixed in opposition to each other such that the second fixing element and the second prosthesis element are fixed to one another in a plane substantially orthogonal to the axis of the vertebrae;

wherein the active first face of the first prosthesis element and the active first face of the second prosthesis element are disposed in moveable opposition to each other, one of the active first faces being concave and the other of the active first faces being convex so as to define a spherical cap,

wherein the first prosthesis element comprises two distinct parts, each of the two distinct parts comprising the first prosthesis element having respective surfaces arranged so as to collectively define the active first face,

wherein the second prosthesis element comprises two distinct parts, each of the two distinct parts comprising second prosthesis element having respective surfaces arranged so as to collectively define the active second face.

2. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which each prosthesis element is constituted by a single part whose active face is constituted by a substantially plane surface in which a single spherical cap is formed, said spherical caps being respectively concave and convex.

3. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which the two spherical caps are of distinct radii of curvatures.

4. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which the anchoring face of each fixing element is provided with at least one rib projecting from said face suitable for co-operating with a groove formed in the corresponding vertebra.

5. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which the anchoring face of each fixing element is provided with a plurality of studs projecting from said face suitable for co-operating with at least one recess formed in the corresponding vertebra.

6. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which the fixing face of each fixing element includes at least one portion in relief projecting from said face and suitable for co-operating with at least one recess formed in the corresponding vertebra.

7. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which the co-operation face of a fixing element or of a prosthesis element is provided with a locking member projecting from said surface, in which the other co-operation surface is provided with a hollow locking member suitable for co-operating with the projecting locking member, and in which said hollow locking member opens out into the periphery of the corresponding co-operation surface in such a manner that the projecting locking member can be engaged in the hollow locking member by movement in translation in a plane parallel to the planes of the co-operation surfaces.

8. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which the co-operating faces of the fixing elements are provided with projecting locking members for fastening them to the prosthesis elements, said locking members of one of the fixing elements being offset relative to the locking members of the other fixing elements so that the two fixing elements can be inserted between the vertebrae pressed one against the other.

9. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 1 , in which each anchoring face of each fixing element includes a member for anchoring in the vertebra constituted by two right-angle triangles touching via one of their shorts sides, the two triangles not being in alignment.

10. An intevertebral disk prosthesis suitable for being put into place between two vertebrae by the anterior technique or the posterior technique, the prosthesis comprising:

first and second fixing elements; and

two opposing prosthesis elements, each prosthesis element comprising two distinct parts, each part of each of the two prosthesis elements having a first face for fixing to a respective one of the first or second fixing element and an active second face defining a portion of a spherical cap, wherein the respective active second faces of parts of each prosthesis element are arranged to lie on the same spherical surface when the two prosthesis elements are fixed to respective ones of the two vertebrae; and

wherein each fixing element comprises an anchoring first face for anchoring to one of the two vertebrae and a co-operation face constructed and arranged to co-operate with the first faces of the two parts forming a respective prosthesis element so as to secure the respective two parts to the fixing element in a place substantially orthogonal to the axis of the vertebrae.

11. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 10 , in which the co-operation face of either a fixing element or of a prosthesis element is provided with a locking member projecting from said surface, the other co-operation surface being provided with a hollow locking member suitable for co-operating with the projecting locking member;

wherein the hollow locking member opens out into the periphery of the corresponding co-operation surface in such a manner that the projecting locking member can be engaged in the hollow locking member by movement in translation in a plane parallel to the planes of the co-operation surfaces.

12. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 10 , wherein, when the active surfaces of the parts of the first prosthesis elements are totally facing the active surfaces of the parts of the second prosthesis elements, the co-operation surfaces of the parts forming the first prosthesis element are situated in a first plane which forms a dihedral angle with respect to the plane in which the co-operation surfaces of the parts forming the second prosthesis elements are situated, thereby enabling the prosthesis to be correct a tendency to scoliosis.

13. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 10 , in which the co-operation faces of the fixing elements are provided with projecting locking members for fastening them to the prosthesis elements, said locking members of one of the fixing elements being offset relative to the locking members of the other fixing elements so that the two fixing elements can be inserted between the vertebrae pressed one against the other.

14. The intervertebral disk prosthesis according to claim 10 , in which each anchoring face of each fixing element includes a member for anchoring in the vertebra constituted by two right-angle triangles touching via one of their short sides, the two triangles not being in alignment.