Interbody spinal prosthetic implant and method

Claim 1

An interbody spinal prosthetic implant for placement between adjacent vertebral bodies of the vertebrae of a spine and seating upon confronting end plates of the adjacent vertebral bodies to maintain a desired orientation and a desired spacing between the adjacent vertebral bodies and support the adjacent vertebral bodies for fusion at the desired orientation and the desired spacing, the prosthetic implant comprising: a rigid member of biocompatible material having vertically opposite upper and lower load-bearing surfaces spaced apart altitudinally to define a height and located along mean planes extending in generally longitudinal directions corresponding to the desired orientation, the load-bearing surfaces being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the desired spacing, the rigid member including, a front end, a rear end spaced longitudinally from the front end to define a length, and sides spaced apart laterally to define a width, said sides extending generally longitudinally at an angle to one another to define a wedge-shaped configuration in the rigid member in horizontal planes, the wedge-shaped configuration tapering from narrower widths adjacent the front end toward wider widths adjacent the rear end and including an overall width greater than the height between the upper and lower load-bearing surfaces; and a tip extending longitudinally between the front end and the load-bearing surfaces, the tip having a surface contour configuration tapered from transverse cross-sectional profiles of relatively lesser height and relatively narrower width adjacent the front end toward transverse cross-sectional profiles of relatively greater height and relatively wider width adjacent the load-bearing surfaces such that the surface contour configuration of the tip follows an ogival profile including a continuous curve from the front end to the load-bearing surfaces and from the front end to the sides of the rigid member.