Patent ID: 9655744
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. A method for promoting fusion across an intervertebral disc space, the method comprising the steps of: accessing an intervertebral disc space via a lateral approach; inserting an expandable system of spinal fusion implants in an insertion state into the intervertebral disc space, wherein said expandable system of spinal fusion implants comprises a first implant having a leading end and a trailing end, an anterior wall and a posterior wall, and a top surface and a bottom surface and a second implant having a leading end and a trailing end, an anterior wall and a posterior wall, and a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the first implant and the second implant are equal in height, and wherein in the insertion state, the anterior wall of the first implant is adjacent to the posterior wall of the second implant; displacing said second implant anteriorly relative to first implant within the intervertebral disc space until the expandable system of spinal fusion implants achieves a fully expanded state, wherein the anterior wall of the second implant rests on an anterior cortical rim of an inferior vertebral body adjacent the intervertebral disc space, thereby creating a gap between the first implant and the second implant.