Patent ID: 8323543

Claim:
A method for preparing a spinal implant, comprising: forming a body portion of the implant for insertion across a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, the body portion including a leading end, a trailing end, an upper bearing surface and an opposite lower bearing surface between the leading and trailing ends, the upper bearing surface and the lower bearing surface being adapted to be oriented toward the adjacent vertebral bodies when the body portion is inserted across the disc space, at least a portion of the body portion being formed from a bioresorbable material, the bioresorbable material being at least in part cortical bone; and forming a plate portion of the implant, the plate having a length adapted to overlap and attach to at least a portion of each of the two adjacent vertebral bodies when said body portion of said implant is inserted across the disc space, the plate being connected at least in part to the body portion of the implant, the plate having a lower facing surface adapted to be oriented toward the adjacent vertebral bodies and an upper facing surface opposite the lower facing surface, the plate having at least two fastener receiving openings extending from the upper facing surface through the lower facing surface, each of the fastener receiving openings being adapted to receive a fastener to attach the plate to a respective one of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, at least a portion of the plate being formed from a bioresorbable material, the bioresorbable material being at least in part cortical bone.