Composite interbody system

Abstract

Embodiments of a composite interbody system 10 for treating mammalian bony segments including various materials to encourage bony fusion while enabling radiographic visualization where the composite interbody system 10 may be employed between two, adjacent mammalian bony segments to stabilize, maintain spacing between, or couple the bony segments. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite interbody system (CIS) for placement between two, adjacent bony mammalian regions, the system including:
 a monolithic base comprised of one of a substantially radio-lucent material and a substantially radio-lucent complex of materials (base materials), the base including a top section that is shaped to engage a first segment of the upper bony mammalian region of the two, adjacent bony mammalian regions (upper region) when the CIS is placed therebetween; and   an upper plate comprised of a one of a material and a complex of materials (upper plate materials) that is less radio-lucent than the base materials, the upper plate shaped to nest within the monolithic base and to engage a second segment, different from the first segment of the upper region when the CIS is placed therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of the monolithic base and the upper plate are shaped in relief to conform to the upper region when the CIS is placed therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate materials are more osteoconductive than the base materials. 
     
     
         4 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate materials consist primarily of titanium and the base materials consist primarily of a member of the polyaryletherketone family. 
     
     
         5 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the mammalian regions are spinal vertebrae. 
     
     
         6 . The CIS of  claim 3 , wherein the mammalian regions are spinal vertebrae and the second segment that the upper plate is shaped to engage when the CIS is placed therebetween is cancellous bone. 
     
     
         7 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate is shaped to slidably nest within the monolithic base. 
     
     
         8 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the second segment is larger than the first segment. 
     
     
         9 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate is shaped to slidably nest within the monolithic base via a plurality of undercuts in the monolithic base. 
     
     
         10 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate is shaped to include a plurality of flanges that slidably nest below a plurality of undercuts in the monolithic base. 
     
     
         11 . The CIS of  claim 1 , wherein the monolithic base further includes a bottom section that is shaped to engage a first segment of the lower bony mammalian region of the two, adjacent bony mammalian regions (lower region) when the CIS is placed therebetween and further including a lower plate comprised of the same materials as the upper plate materials, the lower plate shaped to nest within the monolithic base and to engage a second segment, different from the first segment of the lower region when the CIS is placed therebetween. 
     
     
         12 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the combination of the monolithic base and the upper plate are shaped in relief to conform to the upper region and the combination of the monolithic base and the lower plate are shaped in relief to conform to the lower region when the CIS is placed therebetween. 
     
     
         13 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the upper plate materials are more osteoconductive than the base materials. 
     
     
         14 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the upper plate materials consist primarily of titanium and the base materials consist primarily of a member of the polyaryletherketone family. 
     
     
         15 . The CIS of  claim 13 , wherein the mammalian regions are spinal vertebrae and the second segment that the upper plate is shaped to engage and the second segment that the lower plate is shaped to engage when the CIS is placed therebetween is cancellous bone. 
     
     
         16 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the upper plate is shaped to slidably nest within an upper region of the monolithic base and the lower plate is shaped to slidably nest within a lower region of the monolithic base. 
     
     
         17 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the upper second segment is larger than the upper first segment and the lower second segment is larger than the lower first segment. 
     
     
         18 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the upper plate is shaped to slidably nest within an upper region of the monolithic base via a plurality of undercuts in the upper region of the monolithic base and the lower plate is shaped to slidably nest within a lower region of the monolithic base via a plurality of undercuts in the lower region of the monolithic base. 
     
     
         19 . The CIS of  claim 11 , wherein the upper plate is shaped to include a plurality of flanges that slidably nest below a plurality of undercuts in an upper region of the monolithic base and the lower plate is shaped to include a plurality of flanges that slidably nest below a plurality of undercuts in a lower region of the monolithic base. 
     
     
         20 . The CIS of  claim 1 , further including a linking element fixably coupling the upper plate to the lower plate via a fenestration in the monolithic base.