Patent ID: 7837732

Claim:
An intervertebral spinal fusion implant comprising: a D-shaped body which defines an inner cavity; said body having a peripheral wall that encloses said inner cavity, said peripheral wall defining a D-shaped cross-section and comprising a curved anterior end and an opposite posterior end with an anterior-posterior axis drawn from the curved anterior end to the posterior end, the peripheral wall further comprising a leading end and an opposite trailing end extending between the curved anterior end and the posterior end; said body having superior and inferior sides with the superior side adapted to mate with an upper vertebral body and the inferior side adapted to mate with a lower vertebral body, the superior and inferior sides being generally planar and tapering relative to one another along the anterior-posterior axis from the anterior end to the posterior end to provide the body with a wedge shape; said superior side having an opening which is substantially defined inside of said peripheral wall; said inferior side having an opening which is substantially defined inside of said peripheral wall; a rib that extends across the inner cavity and is joined at one end to the peripheral wall and is joined at another end to the peripheral wall; and a first keel extending from the superior side, a second keel extending from the inferior side, and wherein each of the keels extends from said rib and along a longitudinal axis, each of the keels extends from the leading end of the peripheral wall to the trailing end of the peripheral wall, and wherein each of the keels is T-shaped and is formed integral with the rib, the longitudinal axis of the keels being substantially perpendicular to the anterior-posterior axis drawn from the curved anterior end to the posterior end.