Patent ID: 7621938

Claim:
A spinal construct for engagement with adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising: a spinal implant comprising an intervertebral fusion device including one or more openings configured to promote fusion with the adjacent vertebral bodies, wherein said intervertebral fusion device includes a hollow interior with said openings in communication with said hollow interior, said spinal implant extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first transverse dimension sized for insertion within an intervertebral space between the adjacent vertebral bodies and a second transverse dimension greater than said first transverse dimension and corresponding to a select height of said intervertebral space; a bone growth promoting material positioned within said hollow interior to facilitate fusion with the adjacent vertebral bodies; and an elongate member sized to span the intervertebral space and a plurality of bone anchors extending transversely from said elongate member and into engagement with the adjacent vertebral bodies to establish said select height of the intervertebral space and to maintain said select height as said spinal implant is transitioned from said first transverse dimension to said second transverse dimension along said select height to thereby provide controlled compression of said spinal implant, and wherein said spinal implant is rotatably coupled with said elongate member to allow selective rotation of said spinal implant relative to said elongate member about said longitudinal axis to align said second transverse dimension alone said select height; and wherein an axially facing portion of said spinal implant defines at least two tool engaging elements to facilitate rotation of said spinal implant within said intervertebral space about said longitudinal axis, wherein said tool engaging elements are positioned diametrically opposite one another relative to said longitudinal axis; and wherein said elongate member defines a pair of arcuate slots positioned diametrically opposite one another relative to said longitudinal axis, said arcuate slots being sized and configured to receive said tool engaging elements during rotation of said spinal implant about said longitudinal axis.