Patent ID: 6890355

Claim:
An artificial interbody spinal implant for insertion at least in part into an implantation space formed across the height of a disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine, the vertebral bodies having an anterior aspect and a posterior aspect and a depth therebetween, said implant comprising: a leading end for insertion first into the disc space and a trailing end opposite said leading end, said implant having a length from said leading end to said trailing end, said trailing end being adapted to conform from side to side to at least a portion of the peripheral contour of at least one of the anterior and posterior aspects of the vertebral bodies adjacent the disc space into which said implant is inserted; opposed upper and lower portions between said leading and trailing ends adapted to be placed at least in part within and across the height of the disc space to contact and support the adjacent vertebral bodies, said upper and lower portions defining a height of said implant, said upper and lower portions being non-arcuate along at least a portion of the length of said implant; and opposite sides between said upper portion and said lower portion, and between said leading and trailing ends, said opposite sides defining a width of said implant, at least one of said opposite sides being at least in part straight along at least a portion of the length of said implant, said leading end configured in the shape of approximately one half of a circle from one of said opposite sides to another one of said opposite sides, the circle having a diameter generally equal to the width of said implant, the width of said implant being greater than the height of said implant; said implant being manufactured from a material other than bone, said upper and lower portions of said implant including at least one opening in communication with one another and adapted to hold bone growth promoting material for permitting for the growth of bone from vertebral body to vertebral body through said implant.