System and method for intervertebral implant delivery and removal

Abstract

An implant system provides motion preservation or stabilization between two spinal vertebrae. An associated instrumentation system is capable of delivering and removing the implants from either the anterior, left lateral or right lateral positions. The instrumentation system also provides instrumentation for delivering the implant end plates into the disc space, adjusting the position of the end plates in situ, compressing end plates into the vertebral bodies, interoperatively determining the height and angulation of bearings, delivering bearings together and then independently connecting them to the end plates. The system provides alternative instrumentation for revising the motion preservation disc from at least three directions. The system further provides alternative instrumentation for converting the motion preservation disc system to an interbody fusion device from at least three directions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.