Bioactive spinal implants and method of manufacture thereof

1. A spinal implant comprising:

a body comprising a bioactive substance, further comprising:

an anterior side, a posterior side opposing the anterior side, and a pair of opposing sidewalls, said sidewalls being generally outwardly curved;

a top surface and a bottom surface, both surfaces coupled with the sidewalls, each one of the top surface and the bottom surface forming plural projections for enhancing interaction with a synthetic or natural vertebral body;

at least one major recess formed in the body in communication with at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface; and

a handling feature comprising recesses in the top and bottom surfaces in communication with the anterior and posterior sides, the recesses being offset from the top and bottom surfaces of the implant such that a floor surface adapted to contact a portion of a tool is formed, the recesses being open in a direction extending towards the top or bottom surface so that the portion of the tool is movable through the opening, the handling feature further comprising at least one recess in the anterior or sidewalls, wherein the handling feature facilitates handling and insertion of the spinal implant into an intervertebral space.

2. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the anterior and posterior sides are parallel.

3. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the anterior and posterior sides are generally outwardly curved.

4. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom surfaces are at a lordotic angle to one another, the lordotic angle ranging from about −20 degrees to about +20 degrees.

5. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein a height of the anterior side is greater than a height of the posterior side.

6. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the major recess forms a longitudinal through-aperture.

7. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein two major recesses form two longitudinal through apertures.

8. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the body substantially forms an oval shape in longitudinal cross-section.

9. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the projections are substantially uniform, upwardly protruding ribs.

10. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the projections are substantially uniform, upwardly protruding, elongated ribs separated by concave channels.

11. The spinal implant of claim 10 wherein an angular pitch of the projections is between 1.75 degrees to 1.9 degrees.

12. The spinal implant of claim 10 wherein the projections have a minimum depth of 0.022 inches.

13. The spinal implant of claim 10 wherein the projections have an internal radius of about 0.022 inches.

14. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the at least one recess in the anterior or sidewalls is elongated along a major axis that is substantially transverse to a vertical or z-axis of the implant.

15. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the body consists entirely of bioactive material.

16. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the bioactive substance comprises regions of combeite.

17. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the body comprises DUDMA and TEGDMA resins.

18. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the body comprises PEEK, carbon reinforced PEEK, or carbon reinforced barium sulfate PEEK.

19. The spinal implant of claim 1 where in the body comprises titanium, stainless steel, or cobalt chromium.

20. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the handling feature further comprises a front opening.

21. The spinal implant of claim 20 wherein the front opening is threaded.

22. The spinal implant of claim 1 wherein the implant is in communication with other synthetic intervertebral bodies to aid in fusion of adjacent vertebrae.

23. The spinal implant of claim 1 further comprising a fastening feature comprising at least one through-aperture in communication with the anterior side and either the top or bottom surface for insertion of fasteners that communicate with a synthetic or natural vertebral body.

24. The spinal implant of claim 23 wherein the fasteners comprise regions of combeite.

25. A spinal implant comprising:

a body comprising a bioactive substance, further comprising:

an anterior side, a posterior side opposing the anterior side, and a pair of opposing sidewalls, said sidewalls being generally outwardly curved;

a top surface and a bottom surface, both surfaces coupled with the sidewalls, each one of the top surface and the bottom surface forming plural projections for enhancing interaction with a synthetic or natural vertebral body;

at least one major recess formed in the body in communication with at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface;

a handling feature comprising recesses in the top and bottom surfaces in communication with the anterior and posterior sides, the recesses being offset from the top and bottom surfaces of the implant such that a floor surface adapted to contact a portion of a tool is formed, the recesses being open in a direction extending towards the top or bottom surface so that the portion of the tool is movable through the opening, the handling feature further comprising at least one recess in the anterior or sidewalls for receiving an impaction tool, wherein the handling feature facilitates handling and insertion of the spinal implant into an intervertebral space; and

a fastening feature comprising at least one through-aperture in communication with the anterior side and either the top or bottom surface for insertion of fasteners that communicate with a synthetic or natural vertebral body.

26. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the anterior and posterior sides are parallel.

27. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the anterior and posterior sides are generally outwardly curved.

28. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the top and bottom surfaces are at a lordotic angle to one another, the lordotic angle ranging from about −20 degrees to about +20 degrees.

29. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein a height of the anterior side is greater than a height of the posterior side.

30. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the major recess forms a longitudinal through-aperture.

31. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein two major recesses form two longitudinal through apertures.

32. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the body substantially forms an oval shape in longitudinal cross-section.

33. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the projections are substantially uniform, upwardly protruding ribs.

34. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the projections are substantially uniform, upwardly protruding, elongate ribs separated by concave channels.

35. The spinal implant of claim 34 wherein the an angular pitch of the projections is between 1.75 degrees to 1.9 degrees.

36. The spinal implant of claim 34 wherein the projections have a minimum depth of 0.022 inches.

37. The spinal implant of claim 34 wherein the projections have an internal radius of about 0.022 inches.

38. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the at least one recess in the anterior or sidewalls is elongated along a major axis that is substantially transverse to a vertical or z-axis of the implant.

39. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the body consists entirely of bioactive material.

40. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the bioactive substance comprises regions of combeite.

41. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the body comprises DUDMA and TEGDMA resins.

42. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the body comprises PEEK, carbon reinforced PEEK, or carbon reinforced barium sulfate PEEK.

43. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the body comprises titanium, stainless steel, or cobalt chromium.

44. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the handling feature further comprises a front opening.

45. The spinal implant of claim 44 wherein the front opening is threaded.

46. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the fastening feature has two through-apertures.

47. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the through-apertures of the fastening feature are threaded.

48. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the fasteners are screws, pins, or nails.

49. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the fasteners comprise regions of combeite.

50. The spinal implant of claim 25 wherein the implant is in communication with other synthetic intervertebral bodies to aid in fusion of adjacent vertebrae.