Posterior spinal implant system

Abstract

Disclosed is a spinal implant comprising an implant spacer body and a plate. The spinal implant may be installed into an inter-vertebral space between adjacent vertebrae and may be installed from a patient's posterior. The implant spacer body tapers from the anterior toward the posterior and may be tapered at the anterior end to facilitate installation. Some embodiments disclosed herein may comprise an implant spacer body only, some embodiments may comprise a plate only, and some embodiments may comprise an implant spacer body and a plate.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method of posterior installation of an implant into an inter-vertebral space between adjacent vertebrae in a spinal column of a patient's torso, comprising:
 arranging a patient so the posterior side of the torso is surgically accessible;   creating a surgical incision through the posterior torso to gain access to said patient's spinal column;   removing at least a portion of a damaged vertebral disk from between adjacent vertebrae to create a prepared inter-vertebral space;   inserting an implant from patient's posteror side, through the surgical incision and into the prepared inter-vertebral space;   positioning the implant in the prepared inter-vertebral space with the said implant contacting an end plate of each of the adjacent vertebrae such that a thin end of a wedge shaped spacer of the implant is arranged toward the posterior, said thin end of said wedge shaped spacer being connected to a plate portion of said implant, said plate portion having at least two screw passages extending therethrough; and   inserting a screw through each of said screw passages, each screw entering a vertebrae through the end plate of the respective vertebrae, wherein said screws are installed in said end plates of said vertebrae while said wedge shaped implant arranged fully within said inter-vertebral space.   
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled)