Patent ID: 8323345

Claim:
A cage device for performing spinal fusion, comprising: a housing defining one or more ports that is configured to be selectively disposed in an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae; one or more extensible retention structures that are configured to be selectively advanced out of the housing through the one or more ports and into one or more endplates of the adjacent vertebrae, wherein the one or more extensible retention structures each comprise external threading and internal threading, wherein the external threading is configured for engaging corresponding internal threading of the housing and selectively advancing the one or more extensible retention structures out of the housing through the one or more ports and into the one or more endplates of the adjacent vertebrae; and one or more actuation mechanisms configured for selectively advancing the one or more extensible retention structures out of the housing through the one or more ports and into the one or more endplates of the adjacent vertebrae, wherein the one or more actuation mechanisms comprise at least one worm gear/mandrel pair, and wherein the at least one worm gear/mandrel pair is configured to engage longitudinally oriented teeth manufactured into the external threading.