Patent ID: 9398962
Filing Date: 2016-07-26
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method for performing fusion of a spinal segment including a pair of adjacent vertebrae and an intervertebral disc space having an intervertebral disc between the adjacent vertebrae, wherein the spinal segment has an anterior aspect, a posterior aspect and opposing lateral aspects: (a) forming a passage through a lateral aspect of the intervertebral disc, removing disc material, and preparing at least one endplate of the adjacent vertebrae for receipt of fusion implants into the intervertebral disc space; (b) laterally inserting a posterior implant into the intervertebral disc space and positioning the posterior implant such that the posterior implant extends across the intervertebral disc space from a first edge along one lateral aspect to a second edge along the opposing lateral aspect and such that a posterior side of the posterior implant lies adjacent a third edge along the posterior aspect; and (c) laterally inserting an anterior implant into the intervertebral disc space and positioning the anterior implant such that the anterior implant extends across the intervertebral disc space from the first edge along one lateral aspect to the second edge along the opposing lateral aspect and such that an anterior side of the anterior implant lies adjacent a fourth edge along the anterior aspect; wherein the posterior side of the posterior implant matches the contour of the posterior aspect of the spinal segment.