Patent ID: 8070815

Claim:
An intervertebral implant system for positioning between an upper vertebra and a lower vertebra, the implant system comprising: an intervertebral implant comprising: an inferior plate and a superior plate, the superior plate having a vertebral surface facing the upper vertebra and the inferior plate having a vertebral surface facing the lower vertebra, each plate having an anterior portion and a superior portion wherein there are two grooves on at least one vertebral surface, each groove extending at an angle outward from a centerline on the vertebral surface as they extend from the anterior portion of the plate toward the posterior portion of the plate; and a staple to be associated with the two grooves when in use for maintaining stability of the intervertebral implant and preventing backing out of the intervertebral implant, the staple having two arms and having a generally rectangular shape prior to use, and when implanted, each arm extends at an angle outward from the centerline as each extends from the anterior portion of the plate toward the posterior portion of the plate.