Patent ID: 9700429
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F

Claim:
1. A method of implanting or repositioning a spinal implant comprising: providing a spinal implant with first and second baseplates each having a first surface adapted to contact bone, an opposing second surface, and a perimeter surface arranged between the first and second surfaces, wherein first and second recesses extend into at least the first baseplate and are arranged along a perimeter defined by the perimeter surface thereof; providing an instrument with a handle and a distal portion having at least one extension member projecting therefrom; selecting a surgical approach relative to a disc space for which the implant is to be implanted or repositioned; determining which of the first and second recesses corresponds to the surgical approach, the other of the recesses corresponding to an unselected, different surgical approach; engaging the at least one extension with the appropriate recess to orient the spinal implant at a first angular orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the instrument; subsequently moving the instrument with the implant attached thereto from a direction relative to the disc space in accordance with the surgical approach so as to implant the implant into the disc space or reposition the implant within the disc space so that the entirety of the implant is disposed within the disc space; and engaging bone from within the disc space with a stabilizing feature extending from the first surface of one of the first and second baseplates and with a bone ingrowth material comprising the first surface of one of the first and second baseplates, wherein, upon engagement, the stabilizing feature extends through a surface of the bone, and wherein the stabilizing feature and bone ingrowth material provide the entirety of fixation between the implant and bone which occurs entirely from within the disc space.