T. GLENN PAIT, MD
Medical Practice at Markham St, Little Rock, AR

6159211, Dec 12, 2000

Oct 22, 1998

9/177645

Stefano Boriani - Bologna, IT
Mark H. Bilsky - New York NY
Patrick J. Boland - New York NY
T. Glenn Pait - Little Rock AR
Dawn Abens Lissy - Seven Hills OH
Paul J. Mraz - Cleveland Heights OH
Daniel S. Savage - Brecksville OH

Depuy Acromed, Inc. - Raynham MA

A61B 1756

606 61

Surgical prosthetic modular devices used singularly or stacked together are provided for use to replace excised vertebral tissue. The devices are rigid plugs, dimensionally similar to normal vertebral bodies, and have ridged faces to engage adjacent vertebral bodies or to interdigitate when stacked. Ridges extend in both the medial/lateral and anterior/posterior directions to prevent slipping in the anterior/posterior and medial/lateral directions respectively. A locking screw may be used to secure a stack to form a singular rigid prosthetic device. The devices are also provided with a plurality of threaded openings. In the method of this invention, a device is used to replace excised vertebral tissue, threaded bolts are inserted into the threaded openings, and other spine stabilization devices are attached to the bolts. In corporectomies, the device can be bolted to a plate, which in turn is fixed to adjacent vertebrae. In spondylectomies, the device can be fixed to a series of posteriorly placed rods.