Interbody spinal implant having a roughened surface topography

1. An interbody spinal implant, comprising:

a body that is generally curved-shaped in transverse cross section, and comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, opposing lateral sides, opposing anterior and posterior portions, a substantially hollow center, and a single vertical aperture extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, having maximum width at its center, and defining a transverse rim on the top surface and on the bottom surface, said transverse rim having an anterior thickness greater than a posterior thickness, and having a blunt and radiused portion along the top of each lateral side and the top of the anterior portion,

wherein the portion of the transverse rim that is not blunt and radiused has a roughened surface topography adapted to grip bone and inhibit migration of the implant,

wherein the blunt and radiused portion does not include any roughened surface topography, and

wherein the body has a sharp edge at the junction of the posterior portion and the top surface and at the junction of the posterior portion and the bottom surface to resist pullout of the implant once inserted into the intervertebral space.

2. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a metal.

3. The interbody spinal implant of claim 2 , wherein the metal comprises titanium or an alloy thereof.

4. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a non-metal polymer.

5. The interbody spinal implant of claim 4 , wherein the non-metal polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyetherether-ketone, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

6. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a composite of metal and a non-metal polymer.

7. The interbody spinal implant of claim 6 , wherein the non-metal polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyetherether-ketone, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

8. The interbody spinal implant of claim 6 , wherein the metal comprises titanium or an alloy thereof.

9. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the spinal implant comprises a lordotic angle adapted to facilitate alignment of the spine.

10. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , further comprising bone graft material disposed in the substantially hollow center and adapted to facilitate the formation of a solid fusion column within the spine.

11. The interbody spinal implant of claim 10 , wherein the bone graft material is cancellous autograft bone, allograft bone, demineralized bone matrix (DBM), porous synthetic bone graft substitute, bone morphogenic protein (BMP), or combinations thereof.

12. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the posterior portion comprises an opening for engaging a surgical tool.

13. The interbody spinal implant of claim 1 , wherein the body has at least one transverse aperture extending at least partially along the transverse length of the body.

14. A method, comprising:

removing substantially all cartilage from an intervertebral space in the spinal column of a patient without substantially removing endplate bone from the vertebrae surrounding the intervertebral space;

distracting the vertebrae; and

inserting the implant of claim 1 into the intervertebral space.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the implant is inserted into the intervertebral space through the intervertebral foramen.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising inserting a bone graft material into the substantially hollow center of the implant.