Instrumentation and methods for use in implanting a cervical disc replacement device

Abstract

Instrumentation for implanting an intervertebral disc replacement device includes cervical disc replacement trials comprising a shaft having a handle at a proximal end and a head disposed at a distal end of the shaft, the head including first and second surfaces that are spaced apart and sized for insertion into at least one intervertebral disc space, and for facilitating distraction of the vertebral bones in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the spinal column. The intervertebral disc replacement trial also comprising a stop member operable to prevent over-insertion of the head into the intervertebral disc space of the spinal column. For a set of intervertebral disc replacement trials, one or more of the trials have heads of differing size to facilitate at least one of (i) determining an appropriate size of an intervertebral disc replacement device and (ii) distraction of the vertebral bones in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the spinal column. The invention also comprises a method of using a set of intervertebral disc replacement trials, comprising at least the steps of inserting a first of the trials into one of the intervertebral disc spaces to facilitate some distraction of the vertebral bones and inserting a second of the trials into the intervertebral disc space to facilitate some further distraction of the vertebral bones, both distractions along the longitudinal axis of the spinal column.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.