Johnson and Johnson offers spinal implants for spinal fusion which is a surgical procedure used to correct problems with the small bones in the spine (vertebrae). It is essentially a "welding" process. The basic idea is to fuse together two or more vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone. The Johnson and Johnson implants consist of cages, plates, rods and screws.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for medical supplies or medical services necessary for the delivery of care and treatment at medical, dental, or veterinary teaching facilities utilized by SIU or U of I (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b-5)) Johnson and Johnson spinal implants have to do with direct patient care. Without the Johnson and Johnson implants the University of Illinois Hospital would not be able to offer spinal surgery, which in turn would drive patients elsewhere and result in a loss of revenue to the Hospital.