Patent ID: 8323343

Claim:
A flanged interbody spinal implant for insertion at least in part between two vertebral bodies adjacent a disc space to be fused and in part along the anterior aspects of the vertebral bodies, said implant comprising: a maximum width that is greater than one-half of the width of the adjacent vertebral bodies into which said implant is adapted to be inserted; opposed upper and lower surfaces adapted to contact each of the adjacent vertebral bodies, respectively, from within the disc space, each of said upper and lower surfaces including an opening having a maximum width greater than one-half the maximum width of said implant; a leading end for insertion between the adjacent vertebral bodies, a majority of said leading end being curved to form at least a portion of a circle; a trailing end opposite said leading end and a mid-longitudinal axis through said leading and trailing ends, said trailing end including a flanged portion sized to not fit within the disc space between the adjacent vertebral bodies, said flanged portion adapted to overlie at least a portion of the anterior aspects of the adjacent vertebral bodies adjacent the disc space, said flanged portion having a height greater than the maximum height of the remainder of said implant as measured from said upper surface to said lower surface when used within the disc space; opposite sides between said trailing and leading ends, said sides being substantially parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis along a substantial portion of the length of said implant, each of said opposite sides including an exterior surface having a non-curved portion in a plane parallel to the mid-longitudinal axis of said implant; at least two bone screw receiving holes extending through said flanged portion, each of said bone screw receiving holes being adapted to receive a bone screw for engaging said flanged portion to one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, at least one of each of said bone screw receiving holes being oriented in said flanged portion to overlie the anterior aspect of the vertebral bodies, respectively, adjacent the disc space to be fused; and at least one locking element configured to lock at least two of the bone screws adapted to be inserted in said at least two bone screw receiving holes, each of said bone screw receiving holes being adapted to receive one of the at least two bone screws.