An interbody osteogenic fusion device is provided that includes opposite
end pieces with an integral central element. The end pieces are sized to
maintain the height of an intervertebral disc space. The central element
has a much smaller diameter so that the osteogenic fusion device forms an
annular pocke around the central element. An osteogenic material is
disposed within the annular pocket between the opposite end pieces. In
one embodiment,the osteogenic material constitutes a collagen sheet
soaked in asolution containing a bone morphogenetic protein. The
osteogenic fusion device is configured so that the osteogenic material is
in direct contact with the adjacent vertebral bone. In addition to the
enhanced area of contact between the vertebral bone and the fusion
material, the inventive osteogenic fusion device reduces stress-shielding
and minimizes the radiopacity of the implant so that growth of the fusion
mass can be continuously assessed. In yet another embodiment, the
osteogenic fusion device includes at least one end piece with a truncated
surface. The osteogenic fusion devices of the present invention may be
combined with other fusion devices to form an implant system. The implant
system includes at least one load bearing member having a truncated
surface configured to nest within another load bearing member, preferably
the load bearing, osteogenic fusion device of the present invention. The
invention also provides implant systems comprising adjacent load bearing
members connected to one another to resist lateral separation. Methods of
promoting fusion bone growth in the space between adjacent vertebrae
utilizing devices and systems of the invention are also described.