Patent ID: 8734487

Claim:
A method for fixing a first vertebral body to a second vertebral body, the method comprising: placing a first end portion of a first plate against the first vertebral body, wherein the first end portion of the first plate defines at least one hole configured to receive at least one screw; placing a second end portion of the first plate against the second vertebral body, wherein the second end portion of the first plate defines at least one hole configured to receive at least one screw, wherein the first plate has a first side facing the first vertebral body and the second vertebral body and a second side opposite to the first side, and wherein a first bone growth promoting agent is selectively applied to the first side of the first plate; positioning the first plate to promote desired bone growth with the first selectively applied bone growth promoting agent; inserting a first screw through the at least one hole of the first end portion of the first plate and into the first vertebral body to fix the first end portion of the first plate to the first vertebral body; inserting a second screw through the at least one hole of the second end portion of the first plate and into the second vertebral body to fix the second end portion of the first plate to the second vertebral body, wherein an interbody space is disposed between the first vertebral body and the second vertebral body, and wherein the first end portion of the first plate is placed against a first lateral portion of the first vertebral body and the second end portion of the first plate is placed against a first lateral portion of the second vertebral body; placing a first end portion of a second plate against a second lateral portion of the first vertebral body, wherein the first end portion of the second plate defines at least one hole configured to receive at least one screw; placing a second end portion of the second plate against a second lateral portion of the second vertebral body, wherein the second end portion of the second plate defines at least one hole configured to receive at least one screw, wherein the second plate has a first side facing the first vertebral body and the second vertebral body and a second side opposite to the first side of the second plate, and wherein a second bone growth promoting agent is selectively applied to the first side of the second plate; positioning the second plate to promote desired bone growth with the second selectively applied bone growth promoting agent; inserting a third screw through the at least one hole of the first end portion of the second plate and into the first vertebral body to fix the first end portion of the second plate to the first vertebral body; and inserting a fourth screw through the at least one hole of the second end portion of the second plate and into the second vertebral body to fix the second end portion of the second plate to the second vertebral body.