Patent ID: 7540882

Claim:
An artificial interbody spinal fusion 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, and a width, 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 and a mid-longitudinal axis along the length; 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; 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, said implant having a maximum width between said opposite sides being less than one-half of the width of the adjacent vertebral bodies into which said implant is adapted to be inserted, each of said opposite sides. being at least in part straight in a direction from said leading end to said trailing end along at least a portion of the length of said implant; and a hollow interior between said upper and lower portions, at least one of said opposite sides including an opening in communication with said hollow interior, said opening having a dimension greater than one-half the length of said implant, said leading end being asymmetrical and curved across the mid-longitudinal axis from one of said opposite sides to another one of said opposite sides; 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 for permitting for the growth of bone from vertebral body to vertebral body through said implant.