Patent ID: 7963995
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A vertebral implant comprising: a wall forming two short sides and two elongated sides to define a generally elongated structure having a passageway therethrough; and at least one of said two elongated sides being resiliently compressible into said passageway under a force applied to the implant by movement of the spine into which the implant is placed, one of the two elongated sides comprising first and second anchoring projections extending into the passageway, and the other of the two elongated sides comprising a third anchoring projection extending into the passageway, said anchoring projections engageable to secure the implant in a reduced profile configuration in which the third anchoring projection extends into the passageway between the first and second anchoring projections, said at least one elongated side returnable to an at-rest position when the force is removed, wherein the anchoring projections each have a hole, the holes aligned when the implant is in the reduced profile configuration to form a single passage for receiving a single rod to hold the implant in said reduced profile configuration.