Patent ID: 8403986

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an interbody spinal fusion implant for surgical implantation at least in part within a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies in a segment of a human spine, said implant comprising an interior, a leading end for entry into the spine, a trailing end opposite said leading end, and a length therebetween, opposite sides between said leading and trailing ends, and upper and lower surfaces for contacting each of the adjacent vertebral bodies when positioned therein, said upper surface forming an intersection with a portion of each of said leading end, said trailing end and said opposite sides, said intersections of said upper surface with said portions of said leading end, said trailing end and said opposite sides being in a single upper plane, said lower surface forming an intersection with another portion of each of said leading end, said trailing end and said opposite sides, said intersections of said lower surface with said other portions of said leading end, said trailing end and said opposite sides being in a single lower plane, said trailing end of said implant having a maximum height from said lower surface to said upper surface and perpendicular to the length of said implant, the maximum height of said trailing end of said implant being entirely between the upper and lower planes, said upper and lower surfaces being at least in part non-arcuate, each of said upper and lower surfaces having at least one opening adapted to communicate with one of the adjacent vertebral bodies, said openings in said upper and lower surfaces being in communication with one another and adapted to permit for the growth of bone from adjacent vertebral body to adjacent vertebral body through said implant, said implant including at least two vertebral body penetrating member receiving holes, each of said vertebral body penetrating member receiving holes having a central longitudinal axis passing through said trailing end and said interior of said implant; vertebral body penetrating members adapted for placement through said vertebral body penetrating member receiving holes and into each of the adjacent vertebral bodies adjacent the disc space to be fused; and a locking element adapted to be engaged to said trailing end of said implant to prevent movement of said vertebral body penetrating members in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion of said vertebral body penetrating members into said vertebral body penetrating member receiving holes, said locking element having an enlarged portion and a threaded shaft extending therefrom to threadably engage a portion of said trailing end of said implant.