Facet arthoplasty devices and methods

1. A surgical method comprising:

removing at least a portion of a left facet joint from a vertebral body;

removing at least a portion of a right facet joint from the vertebral body; and

attaching a prosthesis to the vertebral body, wherein the prosthesis comprises:

a base member including left and right side regions and a mid-region joining the left and right side regions without fixation of the mid-region to bone, to form a base member,

a fixation area on at least one of the left and right side regions to accommodate fixation of the base member to the vertebral body,

an artificial left facet joint structure on the left side region adapted and configured and dimensioned to replace a portion of the left natural facet joint, and

an artificial right facet joint structure on the right side region adapted and configured and dimensioned to replace a portion of the right natural facet joint,

wherein the artificial left facet joint structure is attached to the base member the artificial right facet joint structure is attached to the base member such that the distance of separation can vary between the artificial left facet joint structure and the artificial right facet joint structure,

wherein the base member comprises a bar element, wherein the bar element carries the artificial left facet joint structure and the artificial right facet joint structure, and

wherein the artificial left facet joint structure and the artificial right facet joint structure are fixedly attached to the bar element via an adhesive.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bar element is adjustable in length.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bar element is adjustable in length by the inclusion of a ratchet mechanism.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial left facet joint structure and the artificial right facet joint structure are carried by the bar element in a track.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the artificial left facet joint structure and the artificial right facet joint structure are capable of movement relative to one another along the track.

6. A surgical method for replacing a natural facet joint between adjoining inferior and superior vertebral bodies comprising:

removing a portion of a natural facet joint of an inferior vertebral body;

removing a portion of a natural facet joint of a superior vertebral body;

replacing a cephalad portion of the natural facet joint on the superior vertebral body after removal of at least a portion of the cephalad portion of the natural facet joint and at least a portion of a lamina from the superior vertebral body by attaching a portion of a prosthesis to the superior vertebral body, wherein the prosthesis comprises:

a cephalad prosthesis including a fixation area sized and configured to attach the cephalad prosthesis to the superior vertebral body and an artificial cephalad facet joint structure,

a caudal prosthesis including a fixation area sized and configured to attach the caudal prosthesis to the inferior vertebral body and an artificial caudal facet joint structure,

the artificial cephalad facet joint structure being adapted and configured to articulate with the artificial caudal facet joint structure to replace the cephalad and caudal portions of the natural facet joint,

wherein at least one of the cephalad prosthesis and the caudal prosthesis is translatable via a base member.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising replacing the caudal portion of the natural facet joint of the inferior vertebral body after removal of at least a portion of the caudal portion of the natural facet joint from the inferior vertebral body.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the artificial cephalad and caudal facet joint structures includes a bony in-growth surface.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the cephalad prosthesis and the caudal prosthesis includes a fastening element installed in the fastening area at or near a pedicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fastening element is a pedicle screw.