Expandable anterior lumbar implants

An expandable implant comprising:

• an upper endplate and a lower endplate configured to engage adjacent vertebrae;
• and
• an actuator assembly for expanding the upper and lower endplates to independently control anterior and posterior heights of the implant, the actuator assembly including a moveable anterior actuator securing a plurality of anterior pivot ramps, a moveable posterior actuator and a stationary posterior actuator engaged with upper and lower posterior pivot ramps, and an actuator screw threaded into an anterior actuator nut located in the moveable anterior actuator and a posterior actuator nut located in the stationary posterior actuator, the actuator screw threads through the moveable posterior actuator to translate the posterior actuator,
• wherein when the actuator screw and the anterior actuator nut are turned together, the moveable posterior actuator moves toward the stationary posterior actuator, forcing the posterior pivot ramps outward resulting in parallel expansion of the upper and lower endplates, and when only the anterior actuator nut is turned, the moveable anterior actuator moves alone to increase the anterior height, resulting in an increase in lordotic angle.

A method of spinal fixation comprising:

• inserting an expandable intervertebral implant into a disc space between adjacent vertebrae, the expandable implant comprising upper and lower endplates and an actuator assembly including a moveable anterior actuator, a moveable posterior actuator, and a stationary posterior actuator positioned between the upper and lower endplates, an actuator screw threads into an anterior actuator nut located in the moveable anterior actuator and a posterior actuator nut located in the stationary posterior actuator, the actuator screw threads through the moveable posterior actuator to translate the posterior actuator;
• and
• expanding the implant in height by (1) rotating the actuator screw and the anterior actuator nut together to move the moveable posterior actuator toward the stationary posterior actuator, thereby forcing the upper and lower endplates apart resulting in parallel expansion;
• or (2) rotating only the anterior actuator nut to move the moveable anterior actuator alone to increase the anterior height, resulting in an increase in lordotic angle.