Threaded fusion cage anchoring device and method

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an anchoring device and system for stabilizing adjacent vertebral joints. The anchoring device includes an anchoring plate adapted to be secured to at least one vertebral disc having a central portion, extended ends portions and at least one lateral extension. The central portion includes an anchoring nut for fastening the anchoring plate to a vertebral implant and the end portions include anchoring screws for fastening the anchoring plate to the at least one vertebral disc. The vertebral implant is preferably a threaded fusion cage, wherein the anchoring nut is rotatably fixed to both the anchoring plate and the threaded fusion cage. The anchoring device preferably includes the central portion and each extended end portion having at least one locking tab for rotatably locking the anchoring nut and anchoring screws. Additionally, the central portion further includes a plurality of projecting detents along an outer periphery thereof which mate with corresponding slots on the threaded fusion cage. The present disclosure is also directed to a method of implanting a vertebral implant.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.