Patent ID: 8858636

Claim:
An intervertebral implant, comprising: an endplate defining a rear end, a front end spaced forward from the rear end, and laterally opposed sides that extend between the front and rear ends, the endplate defining an outer transverse bone facing surface configured to engage a respective adjacent vertebral surface, an inner surface opposite the outer transverse bone facing surface in a transverse direction, and a longitudinal axis that extends centrally between the laterally opposed sides from the rear end to the front end, wherein at least a portion of the endplate is made from a titanium; a joint member configured to be carried by the endplate, the joint member defining a rounded surface that is configured to provide an articulating joint with a rounded surface of a complementary joint member carried by a second endplate so as to allow for universal movement between the endplate and the second endplate, wherein at least a portion of the joint member is made from a cobalt chromium; a first bone fixation spike and a second bone fixation spike that each extend from the outer transverse bone facing surface and are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, wherein 1) the endplate defines a recess that extends from a first end having a first portion that extends into the first bone fixation spike in the transverse direction and a second portion that extends into the outer transverse bone facing surface in the transverse direction, such that the recess terminates within the endplate at a second end that is disposed between the inner surface and the outer transverse bone facing surface, and 2) the first bone fixation spike and the outer transverse bone facing surface combine so as to define an enclosed perimeter of the first end of the recess.