Patent ID: 8808382

Claim:
An implant retention system comprising: a weight-bearing nuclear implant including opposite upper and lower outer facing surfaces sized and configured to engage with inner facing surfaces of adjacent upper and lower vertebral bodies to provide load bearing support to the adjacent vertebral bodies within an annulus of an intervertebral disc; a shaft having opposite ends with one of the opposite ends connected to and terminating within the implant; an annulus anchoring device having a body including a cutting portion configured for cutting through an annular wall of the annulus; and an adjustable connection between the anchoring device and the other one of the opposite ends of the shaft to allow the annulus anchoring device to pivot with respect to the shaft between a cutting orientation with the cutting portion leading the annular anchoring device as the shaft and implant connected thereto are advanced together into the annulus to cut into and through the annulus and an anchoring orientation with a non-cutting portion of the annulus anchoring device body oriented to abut against the annular wall to facilitate secure engagement of the annulus anchoring device thereto for keeping the implant in the annulus.