An intervertebral implant configured to be fixed by a fixation element in an intervertebral space defined by a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body, the intervertebral implant having a top and a bottom disposed along a transversely opposite side of the intervertebral implant from the top, the intervertebral implant comprising: - a peripheral wall comprising a forward wall portion, - a rearward wall portion disposed along a longitudinally opposite side of the intervertebral implant from the forward wall portion, - a first side wall portion, - a second side wall portion disposed along a laterally opposite side of the intervertebral implant from the first side wall portion, - a top surface extending along the forward wall portion, the rearward wall portion, the first side wall portion, and the second side wall portion at the top of the intervertebral implant, and - a bottom surface extending along the forward wall portion, the rearward wall portion, the first side wall portion, and the second side wall portion at the bottom of the intervertebral implant; - a central cavity at least partially bounded by the peripheral wall, the cavity extending completely through the intervertebral implant from an opening at the top of the intervertebral implant to an opening at the bottom of the intervertebral implant; and - a fixation assembly, characterized in that the fixation assembly comprises: - a housing mounted to the peripheral wall along the forward wall portion, the housing comprising an upper surface oriented toward the top of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, - a lower surface oriented toward the bottom of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, - a front surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, and - a back surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and being disposed along a longitudinally opposite side of the housing from the front surface with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, - a fixation member disposed in the housing and moveable in a path having a non-linear component between a retracted position in which the sharpened tip of the fixation member is disposed below the top of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, and an extended position in which a sharpened tip of the fixation member is disposed above the top of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, and - an actuator connected to the fixation member and disposed in the housing and moveable between an engaged position that places the fixation member in the extended position, and a disengaged position that places the fixation member in the retracted position. - a peripheral wall comprising a forward wall portion, - a rearward wall portion disposed along a longitudinally opposite side of the intervertebral implant from the forward wall portion, - a first side wall portion, - a second side wall portion disposed along a laterally opposite side of the intervertebral implant from the first side wall portion, - a top surface extending along the forward wall portion, the rearward wall portion, the first side wall portion, and the second side wall portion at the top of the intervertebral implant, and - a bottom surface extending along the forward wall portion, the rearward wall portion, the first side wall portion, and the second side wall portion at the bottom of the intervertebral implant; - a central cavity at least partially bounded by the peripheral wall, the cavity extending completely through the intervertebral implant from an opening at the top of the intervertebral implant to an opening at the bottom of the intervertebral implant; and - a fixation assembly, - a housing mounted to the peripheral wall along the forward wall portion, the housing comprising an upper surface oriented toward the top of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, - a lower surface oriented toward the bottom of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, - a front surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, and - a back surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and being disposed along a longitudinally opposite side of the housing from the front surface with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, - a fixation member disposed in the housing and moveable in a path having a non-linear component between a retracted position in which the sharpened tip of the fixation member is disposed below the top of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, and an extended position in which a sharpened tip of the fixation member is disposed above the top of the intervertebral implant with the fixation assembly mounted to the peripheral wall, and - an actuator connected to the fixation member and disposed in the housing and moveable between an engaged position that places the fixation member in the extended position, and a disengaged position that places the fixation member in the retracted position.