EXHIBIT 5.1

                          [LATHAM & WATKINS LETTERHEAD]

                                 August 15, 2002

Interpore International, Inc.
181 Technology Drive
Irvine, California 92618-2402

                  Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8

Gentlemen:

         In connection with the registration by Interpore International, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), of 100,000 shares of common stock of the
Company, par value $0.01 per share (the "Shares"), to be issued pursuant to the
Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors of the Company, as amended (the
"Plan"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on Form S-8 to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Registration Statement"), you
have requested our opinion with respect to the matters set forth below.

         In our capacity as your special counsel in connection with such
registration, we are familiar with the proceedings taken or to be taken by the
Company in connection with the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares.
In addition, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we
have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. With your
consent, we have relied upon certificates of an officer of the Company and
others with respect to certain factual matters. We have not independently
verified such factual matters.

         In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures,
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the
conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as
copies.

         We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, including statutory and
reported decisional law thereunder, and we express no opinion with respect to
the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon of the laws of any other
jurisdiction or, in the case of Delaware, any other laws or as to any matters of
municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state.

         Subject to the foregoing and in reliance thereon, it is our opinion
that upon the issuance and sale of the Shares in the manner contemplated by the
Registration Statement and in accordance with the terms of the Plan, and subject
to the Company completing all actions and proceedings required on its part to be
taken prior to the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the terms of the Plan and
the Registration Statement, including, without limitation, collection of
required payment for the Shares, the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable securities of the Company.

         We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

         This opinion is rendered only to you and is solely for your benefit in
connection with the transactions covered hereby. This opinion may not be relied
upon by you for any other purpose, as furnished to, quoted to, or relied upon by
any other person, firm or corporation for any purpose, without our prior written
consent.

                                Very truly yours,

                                /s/ LATHAM & WATKINS