Anterior lumbar interbody fusion cage with locking plate

Abstract

A spinal fixation assembly includes a fusion cage to which a plate is mated. The plate is configured to receive, retain and orient bone screws.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A spinal fixation assembly comprising: 
 a fusion cage having 
 a posterior face,  
 an anterior face,  
 a superior face, and  
 an inferior face;  
   a plate mated to the fusion cage, the plate defining an aperture for receiving a bone screw; and    a bone screw having a head and a shank, the shank being dimensioned to pass through the aperture in the plate, and the head being dimensioned to engage the plate to inhibit passage of the head through the aperture in the plate.    
     
     
         2 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plate is mated to the anterior face of the fusion cage.  
     
     
         3 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plate is slidably engaged with the fusion cage so as to be movable in a superior/inferior direction.  
     
     
         4 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plate and the fusion cage are joined with a mortise and a tenon.  
     
     
         5 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fusion cage includes a medial plane that separates the inferior face from the superior face to define an inferior side and a superior side, and wherein the plate defines a first aperture on the inferior side of the fusion cage and a second aperture on the superior side of the fusion cage.  
     
     
         6 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the plate further includes a first tab that defines the first aperture and a second tab that defines the second aperture.  
     
     
         7 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first tab and the second tab are flexible.  
     
     
         8 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 6 , wherein one of the first tab and the second tab is angled with respect to the plate at an angle between 15° and 60°.  
     
     
         9 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 6 , wherein one of the first tab and the second tab is angled with respect to the plate at an angle of about 20°.  
     
     
         10 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one of the superior face and the inferior face is convex.  
     
     
         11 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fusion cage is thicker at the anterior face than at the posterior face.  
     
     
         12 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the fusion cage tapers at about 10° from the anterior face to the posterior face.  
     
     
         13 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the fusion cage defines an annulus with a first transverse element and a second transverse element.  
     
     
         14 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second transverse elements extend from the anterior face to the posterior face.  
     
     
         15 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first transverse element is substantially parallel to the second transverse element.  
     
     
         16 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the fusion cage defines a bore centered on the medial plane and open at the anterior face.  
     
     
         17 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the plate defines a bore therethrough that is aligned with the bore defined by the fusion cage.  
     
     
         18 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of fins extending outward from the fusion cage on one of the superior face and the anterior face.  
     
     
         19 . The spinal fixation assembly of  claim 1 , further including a notch on one of the superior face and inferior face that extends from the anterior face toward the posterior face.