Spinal athroplasty device and method

1. An artificial spinal joint for creating at least a portion of a coupling between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra comprising:

an anterior joint replacement component including

an upper retaining member having an upper endplate contact surface adapted to contact an endplate of the superior vertebra, and an upper joint surface;

a lower retaining member having a lower endplate contact surface adapted to contact an endplate of the inferior vertebra and an integrally formed lower joint surface, wherein the upper joint surface is in contact with the lower joint surface and the upper and lower joint surfaces are slidably engaged;

a bridge having a proximal end and a distal end, the bridge coupled to the anterior joint replacement component at the proximal end; and

a posterior joint replacement component coupled to the distal end of the bridge and sized to extend posteriorly outside of a disc space defined between the endplates of the superior and inferior vertebrae and including an upper articulation face fit together in articulating engagement with a lower articulation face.

2. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the coupling between the anterior joint replacement component and the bridge is a rigid coupling.

3. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the coupling between the posterior joint replacement component and the bridge is a rigid coupling.

4. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the artificial spinal joint includes a connection for accepting a fastener for fixing the artificial spinal joint to the superior vertebra.

5. The artificial spinal joint of claim 4 wherein the connection for accepting a fastener is integral with the anterior joint replacement component.

6. The artificial spinal joint of claim 4 wherein the connection for accepting a fastener is integral with the posterior joint replacement component.

7. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the artificial spinal joint includes a connection for accepting a fastener for fixing the artificial spinal joint to the inferior vertebra.

8. The artificial spinal joint of claim 7 wherein the connection for accepting a fastener is integral with the anterior joint replacement component.

9. The artificial spinal joint of claim 7 wherein the connection for accepting a fastener is integral with the posterior joint replacement component.

10. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the bridge is sized to extend posteriorly outside of the disc space.

11. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the artificial spinal joint includes at least:

an upper member comprising

the upper retaining member,

an upper portion of the bridge coupled to the upper retaining member, and

an upper portion of the posterior joint replacement component coupled to the upper portion of the bridge; and

a lower member comprising

the lower retaining member,

a lower portion of the bridge coupled to the lower retaining member, and

a lower portion of the posterior joint replacement component coupled to the lower portion of the bridge.

12. The artificial spinal joint of claim 11 wherein the upper and lower portions of the posterior joint replacement component are connected with a band.

13. The artificial spinal joint of claim 1 wherein the bridge is at least a portion of an artificial pedicle.

14. An artificial spinal joint comprising:

a disc replacement component including

an upper retaining member comprising an upper vertebral endplate contact surface, configured to engage an endplate of an upper generally cylindrical vertebral body portion of an upper vertebra, and an upper joint surface and

a lower retaining member comprising a lower vertebral endplate contact surface, configured to engage an endplate of a lower generally cylindrical vertebral body portion of a lower vertebra, and a lower joint surface, wherein the upper joint surface is in contact with the lower joint surface and the upper and lower joint surfaces are disposed between the upper and lower vertebral endplate contact surfaces and are slidably engaged;

an artificial facet component spaced a posterior distance apart from the disc replacement component, the artificial facet component including an upper articulation face fit in mating and articulating engagement with a lower articulation face; and

a fixation bridging component sized to extend posteriorly outside a disc space between the upper and lower generally cylindrical vertebral body portions and posteriorly beyond the upper and lower generally cylindrical vertebral body portions, the fixation bridging component connected between the disc replacement component and the lower articulation face of the artificial facet component such that the fixation bridging component positions the artificial facet component posteriorly beyond and spaced apart from the upper and lower generally cylindrical vertebral body portions.

15. The artificial spinal joint of claim 14 further comprising: a securing component configured to secure the upper vertebral endplate contact surface to the endplate of the upper generally cylindrical vertebral body portion of the upper vertebra.

16. The artificial spinal joint of claim 15 wherein the securing component extends through a securing support that extends from the artificial facet component.

17. The artificial spinal joint of claim 14 wherein the lower retaining member comprises an integrally formed spacer component which includes the lower joint surface.

18. The artificial spinal joint of claim 14 wherein the disc replacement component comprises separated left and right disc portions, the artificial facet component comprises separated left and right facet portions, and the fixation bridging component comprises a left fixation portion extending between the left disc portion and the left facet portion and a right fixation portion extending between the right disc portion and the right facet portion.

19. The artificial spinal joint of claim 14 wherein the fixation bridging component is also connected between the disc replacement component and the upper articulation face of the artificial facet component.