Patent ID: 7794500
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A surgical implant comprising: a first end plate having four sides and four corners, a substantially V-shaped notch being formed on each side between each adjacent pair of corners so as to give the first end plate a substantially X-shaped configuration; a second end plate spaced apart from the first end plate, a central longitudinal axis centrally extending between the first end plate and the second end plate; four spaced apart beams extending from the first end plate to the second end plate at locations spaced apart from the central longitudinal axis, an open passageway extending between each adjacent pair of the beams and intersecting with the central longitudinal axis, wherein the first end plate, the second end plate, and the beams are integrally formed as a one piece construction from a single piece of material and wherein each of the beams has a planar bearing surface, the planar bearing surfaces of two adjacent beams being coplanar; and a plurality of retention barbs projecting from each of the planar bearing surfaces that are coplanar, at least a portion of each retention barb outwardly projecting orthogonal to the plane of the planar bearing surfaces.