Patent ID: 9603715
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. A method of implanting a spinal spacer into an intervertebral space of a patient, comprising: engaging a tip of an insertion tool to a threaded on-axis interface of the spacer substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the spacer; inserting a front end of the spacer into the intervertebral space along an insertion direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spacer; continuing to insert the spacer so that the front end of the spacer turns until the longitudinal axis of the spacer is non-parallel to the insertion direction; further inserting the spacer into the intervertebral space while the insertion tool is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spacer; and actuating an expansion mechanism to expand the spacer by increasing a distance between a top surface of the spacer and a bottom surface of the spacer, the expansion mechanism being angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the spacer; wherein the insertion tool includes a shaft configured for positioning outside the intervertebral space while the spacer is within the intervertebral space, the shaft of the insertion tool being non-pivotable with respect to the tip of the insertion tool, the tip configured to be threadedly coupled to the spacer during the step of actuating the expansion mechanism.