now referring to fig1 a , there is provided an exploded posterior view of a container of the present invention positioned adjacent the posterior sides of upper and lower vertebral bodies . in particular , the container 21 comprises an upper half 3 having a plurality of transverse throughholes 29 and a lower half 7 having a plurality of transverse throughholes 31 . these throughholes are predetermined to align with the respective pilot holes formed in the vertebral bodies by the surgeon so that anchors may be placed through the throughholes and into the pilot holes , thereby fixing the container to the bone . now referring to fig1 b , there is provided a posterior view of a container of the present invention positioned over the posterior sides of upper and lower vertebral bodies , wherein the throughholes and pilot holes are aligned . in this condition , anchors may be placed through the throughholes and into the pilot holes , thereby fixing the container to the bone . now referring to fig1 c , there is provided a vertical cross - section of the apparatus of fig1 b , the apparatus comprising : a ) a resorbable container 21 comprising i ) a resorbable shell 22 including inner 23 and outer 25 sheets defining an internal cavity 27 therebetween , ii ) upper 29 and lower 31 throughholes having a diameter d t and iii ) an inlet port 33 , b ) a bone anchor 41 having i ) a threaded shaft 43 having a diameter d s adapted for insertion into the throughhole and ii ) a head 45 having a diameter d h greater than the diameter d t of the container throughhole , c ) a flowable , hardenable osteogenic composition ( not shown ) contained within the internal cavity . in the use of this embodiment , the bone anchors are first fixed in the bone on either side of the disc space , and the resorbable container is placed over the bone anchors . the transverse throughholes of the container are then aligned with the bone anchors , and the container is then pushed over the proximal heads of the bone anchor . the heads of the bone anchor then function to lock the container in place . now referring to fig2 , there is provided a cross - section of an apparatus of the present invention fixed to a functional spinal unit comprising an upper vertebral body vb u having a posterior side p u and a lower vertebral body vb l having a posterior side p l , comprising : a ) a resorbable container 21 comprising i ) a resorbable shell 22 including inner 23 and outer 25 sheets defining an internal cavity 27 , ii ) upper 29 and lower 31 throughholes having a diameter d t and iii ) an inlet port 33 , b ) a bone anchor 41 having i ) a threaded shaft 43 having a diameter d s adapted for insertion into the throughhole and ii ) a head 45 having a diameter d h greater than the diameter d t of the container throughhole , c ) a flowable , harda denable osteogenic composition ( not shown ) contained within the internal cavity . in one embodiment , the hardenable , resorbable , bone fusion - promoting composition is delivered to the implantation site by first providing a collapsible container to the site , then filling the container with the fusion - promoting composition . preferred resorbable , collapsible containers include inflatable bags , thin - walled balloons , and fabric jackets . in some embodiments , the mesh bags described by kuslich , the specification of which is incorporated by reference , are selected . the mesh nature of the bags provides for enhanced osteogenic connection between the internal cavity and the patient &# 39 ; s tissue . in some embodiments , the containers are perforated to provide osteogenic avenues between the bone fusion - promoting composition and the patient &# 39 ; s tissue . in some embodiments , the container is made of a flexible material . the flexible nature of the material allows the container to closely conform to the patient &# 39 ; s bony anatomy , thereby increasing the chances for fusion . preferably , the container is resorbable . when the container is resorbable , its eventual resorption after fusion has taken place eliminates problems associated with permanent implants . more preferably , the resorbable container is made from a resorbable polymers as discussed below . however , in other embodiments , the container may include non - resorbable components or be completely non - resorbable . in preferred embodiments , one or more bone anchors are inserted through the container and into bony elements at the fusion site , thereby fixing the container to the patient &# 39 ; s bone . in some embodiments , the anchor has a fixation element that protrudes outside of the bone once the anchor is implanted , thus improving attachment of the bone fusion - promoting composition and / or resorbable , collapsible bag . in preferred embodiments , said anchors comprise pedicle screws and / or cortical bone screws that are inserted into the lamina and / or transverse processes . in another embodiment , the protruding element comprises a post . in this embodiment , the collapsible bag may include holes such that these hole can be placed over the posts prior to injecting hardenable composition into the bag . this would allow the bag to be fixed at multiple points , including along the lamina and the transverse processes as well as the pedicles , as illustrated below . in some embodiments , the fixation facilitation element of the anchor is a proximal head . now referring to fig3 , in some embodiments , the fixation facilitation element of the anchor is a proximal transverse hole 41 . in one embodiment , the protruding element comprises a hole or multiple holes through which the hardenable composition and / or collapsible bag may be inserted through prior to hardening the hardenable composition . in preferred embodiments , two protruding elements , each having a proximal hole , are fixed in the bone ( preferably , so that the holes are substantially in alignment ) on the opposite sides of a disc space , and upper end portion of the collapsible bag is inserted through the upper proximal hole while the lower end of the collapsible bag is inserted through the upper proximal hole . when the bag is inflated by the hardenable composition , the inflated bag forms a seal the proximal portion of the protruding element , thereby fixing the bag in place . in some embodiments thereof , one of the embodiments provided in fig2 - 29 of us 2002 / 0082600 (“ shaoulian ”), the specification of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety , is selected . although the bone anchors can be made from conventional biocompatible metals , polymers and ceramics , they are preferably made from high strength resorbable materials , for example sintered calcium - containing ceramics such as calcium phosphate made from sintered nano - sized particulate and polymers such as poly ( lactic acid ) and poly ( amino carbonates ). in using said preferred materials , the implants will not interfere with imaging techniques such as mri and ct . compositions to be used in this invention are known in the art . hardenable , resorbable compositions include setting ceramics , polymerizable monomers and polymers , polymers flowable at temperatures above body temperature , and polymers solubilized in a biocompatible solvent . examples of resorbable setting ceramics include calcium phosphates , hydroxyapatites and calcium sulfates . examples of polymerizable resorbable monomers and polymers include poly ( propylene fumarate ), polyoxaesters , polyurethanes and polyanhydrides . in one preferred embodiment , the hardenable composition is a photopolymerized polyanhydride . in this embodiment , irradiation can be used to control the polymerization process , therefore , a partially polymerized putty can be made , then hardened by continuing the polymerization with irradiation after the composition has been placed . examples of resorbable polymers flowable at temperatures above body temperature include polymers and copolymers of lactic acid , glycolic acid , carbonate , dioxanone , and trimethylene carbonate . an example of a biocompatible solvent that can be used to solubilize the aforementioned polymers include dimethyl sulfoxide . in order to improve the osteoconductivity of the aforementioned hardenable , resorbable compositions , they may be delivered to the site as an in - situ formed porous scaffold . techniques of in situ forming porous scaffolds are known in the art and include porogen leaching and foaming with gas - producing elements . in preferred embodiments of this invention , the hardenable , resorbable compositions incorporate an osteoinductive component . osteoinductive components include growth factors such as bone morphogenetic proteins that can be grafted onto or mixed into said hardenable compositions . the term “ growth factors ” encompasses any cellular product that modulates the growth or differentiation of other cells , particularly connective tissue progenitor cells . the growth factors that may be used in accordance with the present invention include , but are not limited to , members of the fibroblast growth factor family , including acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor ( fgf - 1 and fgf - 2 ) and fgf - 4 ; members of the platelet - derived growth factor ( pdgf ) family , including pdgf - ab , pdgf - bb and pdgf - aa ; egfs ; members of the insulin - like growth factor ( igf ) family , including igf - i and - ii ; the tgf - β superfamily , including tgf - β1 , 2 and 3 ( including mp - 52 ); osteoid - inducing factor ( oif ), angiogenin ( s ); endothelins ; hepatocyte growth factor and keratinocyte growth factor ; members of the bone morphogenetic proteins ( bmp &# 39 ; s ) bmp - 1 , bmp - 3 ; bmp - 2 ; op - 1 ; bmp - 2a , bmp - 2b , and bmp - 7 , bmp - 14 ; hbgf - 1 and hbgf - 2 ; growth differentiation factors ( gdf &# 39 ; s ), members of the hedgehog family of proteins , including indian , sonic and desert hedgehog ; admp - 1 ; members of the interleukin ( il ) family , including il - 1 thru il - 6 ; gdf - 5 and members of the colony - stimulating factor ( csf ) family , including csf - 1 , g - csf , and gm - csf ; and isoforms thereof . in addition , bone - producing cells , such as mesenchymal stem cells ( mscs ), can be delivered with the hardenable compositions by first encapsulating the cells in hydrogel spheres then mixing in . mscs provide a special advantage because it is believed that they can more readily survive relatively harsh environments ; that they have a desirable level of plasticity ; and that they have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into the desired cells . in some embodiments , the mesenchymal stem cells are obtained from bone marrow , preferably autologous bone marrow . in others , the mesenchymal stem cells are obtained from adipose tissue , preferably autologous adipose tissue . in some embodiments , the mesenchymal stem cells used in an unconcentrated form . in others , they are provided in a concentrated form . when provided in concentrated form , they can be uncultured . uncultured , concentrated mscs can be readily obtained by centrifugation , filtration , or immuno - absorption . when filtration is selected , the methods disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 049 , 026 (“ muschler ”), the specification of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety , are preferably used . in some embodiments , the matrix used to filter and concentrate the mscs is also administered into the container . in another embodiment of the invention , the hardenable , resorbable , bone fusion - promoting composition is delivered to the site as a partially hardened , shapable putty . the putty can then be pressed onto the bony surfaces and around the bony structures to obtain a mechanical interlock without the use of bone anchoring elements . alternatively , the putty can be pressed into and / or over the protruding elements of the anchors . following shaping to the spine , the partially hardened composition will completely harden to provide a rigid fixation of the spine . the present invention may be useful in other areas including the anterior aspects of the spine , as well as fixation of the cranium , and diaphyseal and metaphyseal fractures . although specific embodiments have been described pertaining to use of the device on the posterior side of the spine , it is also anticipated that use on the anterior aspect of the spine would also be effective . for example , devices described in this invention could be used instead of a conventional anterior cervical or lumbar plate . also , the devices could be used on the antero - lateral aspect of the spine in the thoraco - lumbar region to promote fusion in deformity correction procedures . in one preferred embodiment , the device is used such that the components can be implanted with none protruding beyond the surface of the vertebral bodies ( zero - profile ), similar to that described by gaines ( u . s . pat . no . 6 , 524 , 311 ), the specification of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety . in addition , the device could also apply to bone fixation outside of the spinal region , including but not limited to cranio - maxillofacial fixation and metaphyseal and diaphyseal bone fixation .
a formed in - place spinal implant comprising a hardenable , resorbable , bone fusion - promoting composition , wherein the implant may be rigidly connected to adjacent vertebrae until fusion occurs .