Instrumentation and procedure for implanting spinal implant devices

A spinal implant, comprising:

• a first plate having at least one slot on an inner surface of the first plate and extending from an anterior side of the spinal implant to a posterior side of the spinal implant, wherein the slot is wider proximate the anterior side than the posterior side of the spinal implant;
• a second plate having at least one slot on an inner surface of the second plate and extending from the anterior side of the spinal implant to the posterior side of the spinal implant, wherein the slot is wider proximate the anterior side than the posterior side of the spinal implant;
• and
• at least one connector of a single piece construction and having surfaces substantially corresponding to the slots on the inner surfaces of the first and second plates, wherein the at least one connector is slidably movable in the slots of the first and second plates from the anterior side to the posterior side of the spinal implant to connect the first and second plates in-situ in an intervertebral space.

A spinal implant, comprising:

• a pair of plates, wherein each of the pair of plates comprises:
• an outer surface;
• an inner surface;
• a plurality of openings extending between the outer surface and the inner surface;
• a plurality of protrusions shaped to extend from the outer surface into adjacent vertebrae to securely fasten the spinal implant to the adjacent vertebrae;
• tapered slots on the inner surface and extending from an anterior side of the spinal implant to a posterior side of the spinal implant, wherein the tapered slots are wider proximate the anterior side than the posterior side of the spinal implant;
• and
• a recessed surface on the inner surface between the tapered slots;
• and
• a pair of connectors, wherein each of the pair of connectors comprises:
• tapered surfaces substantially corresponding to the tapered slots on the inner surfaces of the pair of plates, wherein the pair of connectors are slidably movable in the tapered slots of the pair of plates from the anterior side to the posterior side of the spinal implant to connect the pair of plates in-situ in an intervertebral disc space.