Patent ID: 8038714

Claim:
An interbody fusion spacer, comprising: an elongated body having a first end wall, an opposite second end wall, and a side wall extending between said first and second end walls, said elongated body defining an outer surface and an interior chamber for receiving an osteogenic material, said side wall defining a main side wall opening in communication with said interior chamber, said main side wall opening sized and configured for loading said osteogenic material into said interior chamber, said side wall defining a plurality of secondary side wall openings extending from said outer surface and in communication with said interior chamber for bone ingrowth into said interior chamber; wherein said elongated body comprises a generally cylindrical body having a length extending from said first end wall to said second end wall and wherein said generally cylindrical body is externally threaded along said length; wherein said outer surface of said generally cylindrical body comprises an outer circumferential surface defining an outer circumference, said outer circumferential surface defining an external outer surface profile in the shape of an arc of a circle extending no less than 180 degrees about said outer circumference and extending along said length of said body from said first end wall to said second end wall; and wherein said main side wall opening extends over at least about 20% of the outer circumference of said body and extends along at least about 50% of said length of said body to provide said main side wall opening with a size sufficient for loading said osteogenic material into said interior chamber.