VERTEBRAL INTERBODY SPACER AND COUPLED PLATE ASSEMBLY

摘要

An implant for insertion into a disc space between vertebrae, wherein the implant includes a spacer portion (20), a plate portion (50) coupled to the spacer portion, two bone fixation elements (70) for engaging the vertebrae and a retention mechanism for preventing the bone fixation elements from postoperatively backing-out of the plate portion. The retention mechanism may be in the form of a spring biased snapper element (110) that is biased into communication with the bone fixation elements so that once the bone fixation element advances past the snapper element, the snapper element is biased back to its initial position in which the snapper element interfaces with the bone fixation elements. Alternatively, the retention mechanism may be in the form of a propeller (310) rotatable between a first position in which the bone fixation elements are insertable to a second position where the bone fixation elements are prevented from backing-out.