Patent ID: 6902581

Claim:
A fusion implant apparatus for facilitating fusion of adjacent bone structures, which comprises: a threadless implant member for positioning between adjacent opposed bone structures, the implant member defining a longitudinal axis and first and second longitudinal ends, said longitudinal axis being bisected by a transverse orthogonal axis, wherein said implant member is longer along said longitudinal axis than along said orthogonal axis, the implant member further defining an outer wall dimensioned to engage the opposed bone structures upon positioning therebetween in supporting relation therewith, the outer wall defining an internal cavity for reception of bone growth inducing substances and including a plurality of apertures extending therethrough in communication with the internal cavity to permit fusion of vertebral bone tissue, the implant member having an arcuate intermediate portion defining a cross-sectional dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis greater than respective cross-sectional dimensions of the first and second longitudinal ends of the implant member, wherein the implant member defines a substantially circular cross-section.