Posterior lumbar intervertebral stabilizer

1. A posterior intervertebral stabilizer, comprising:

a first stabilizing element having: (i) a first surface operable to engage an endplate of a first vertebral bone of a spine, and (ii) a second surface spaced apart from the first surface and operable to engage an endplate of an adjacent second vertebral bone of the spine;

a second stabilizing element having: (i) a first surface operable to engage an endplate of the first vertebral bone of the spine, and (ii) a second surface spaced apart from the first surface and operable to engage an endplate of the adjacent second vertebral bone of the spine; and

spring elements, each including a substantially solid exterior wall forming a hollow passage between the first and second surfaces of the respective stabilizing element, the solid exterior wall including at least one helical slit therethrough forming a plurality of annular circumferential, overlapping helical coils, the respective spring elements being disposed between the respective first and second surfaces of the first and second stabilizing elements, each operable to provide a reactive force in response to compression loads from the first and second vertebral bones, wherein

at least some diameters of respective turns of the respective helical coils differ such that those of the turns having larger diameters are disposed towards the first and second surfaces and those of the turns having smaller diameters are centrally located between the turns having larger diameters, and

diameters of the hollow passage between the first and second surfaces vary such that larger diameters are disposed towards the first and second surfaces and smaller diameters are centrally located.

2. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional profile taken through the spring element of at least one of the first and second stabilizing elements is at least partially hourglass shaped.

3. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , wherein respective peripheral edges of the first and second surfaces of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements circumscribe a kidney shape.

4. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , wherein:

the first and second stabilizer elements include a length along an anterior-to-posterior direction of the spine and a width along a lateral direction of the spine; and

the widths of the stabilizer elements are smaller than the lengths thereof such that the either one or two stabilizer elements may be implanted from a posterior, transverse posterior or lateral direction of the spine.

5. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

the first surface of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements includes a peripheral edge that overhangs at least one coil of the spring element; and

the second surface of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements includes a peripheral edge that overhangs at least one coil of the spring element.

6. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 5 , wherein at least one of:

a first moment arm is defined by a lateral distance between an outer surface of the at least one coil of the spring element and the peripheral edge of the first surface of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements; and

a second moment arm is defined by a lateral distance between the outer surface of the at least one coil of the spring element and the peripheral edge of the second surface of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements.

7. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the moment arms defined by the hourglass shape operates such that:

a compressive force acting on one of the peripheral edges and the other of the first and second surfaces of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements tends to collapse the spring element and full compression of the spring element in response to the compressive force results in adjacent coils engaging one another; and

further compressive force acting on only a portion of the peripheral edge tends to cause the adjacent coils to engage one another and to expand portions of coils on an opposite side of the spring element from the engaged coils.

8. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , wherein the spring element includes one of (i) about 1.0 grooves or 2.0 coils; (ii) about 2.0 grooves or 3.0 coils; and about 3.0 grooves and 4.0 coils.

9. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein a height between the first and second surfaces is one of: (i) about 7.0 mm to 10.0 mm when the spring element includes about 1.0 grooves or 2.0 coils; (ii) about 10.0 mm to 14.0 mm when the spring element includes about 2.0 grooves or 3.0 coils; and (iii) about 14.0 mm to 18.0 mm when the spring element includes about 3.0 grooves or coils.

10. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , wherein the first and second stabilizer elements are sized and shaped for an intervertebral space in the lumbar or thoracic region of a spine.

11. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , further comprising one or more bone adhesion facilitating elements operable to promote bone adhesion to at least one of the first and second surfaces of at least one of the first and second stabilizer elements.

12. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 11 , wherein the one or more bone adhesion facilitating elements includes at least one of:

one or more spikes extending from at least one of the first and second surfaces for promoting engagement thereof with the associated vertebral bones;

one or more keels extending from at least one of the first and second surfaces for promoting engagement thereof with the associated vertebral bones; and

one or more roughening elements one at least one of the first and second surfaces for promoting engagement thereof with the associated vertebral bones.

13. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 1 , further comprising a membrane disposed in the passage and substantially closing off the passage to inhibit bone growth therethrough.

14. The intervertebral stabilizer of claim 13 , wherein the membrane is formed as an integral element of the hollow body.