Patent ID: 6827740
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
An interbody spinal implant for insertion between adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, said implant comprising:a leading end for introduction of said spinal implant into the spine, an opposite trailing end, spaced apart sides therebetween, and a mid-longitudinal axis passing through said leading and trailing ends; opposite upper and lower surfaces between said leading and trailing ends and said spaced apart sides, said upper surface adapted for placement in engagement with the bone of one of the vertebral bodies and said opposite lower surface adapted for placement toward the bone of the other of the vertebral bodies when said implant is placed between the adjacent vertebral bodies; and a plurality of surface projections formed on said upper and lower surfaces of said implant, said plurality of surface projections being adapted to engage bone, said plurality of surface projections including: at least a first and a second surface projection each having a first facet configuration with at least one forward facing facet directed at least in part toward said leading end and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward said trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward portion having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet being longer than the length of said rearward portion, the slope of said rearward portion being steeper than the slope of said forward facet, said first and second surface projections each having a peak along a first line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis of said implant; and at least a third and a fourth surface projection each having a second facet configuration with at least one forward facet directed at least in part toward the leading end and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward the trailing end, said forward facet and said rearward portion of said second facet configuration having a length and a slope, the length of said forward facet of said second facet configuration being longer than the length of said rearward portion of said second facet configuration, the slope of said rearward portion of said second facet configuration being steeper than the slope of said forward facet of said second facet configuration, said third and fourth surface projections each having a peak along a second line that is transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis and off-set from the first line transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis, said second facet configuration of said third and fourth surface projections being different from said first facet configuration of said first and second surface projections.