Patent ID: 9592063
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F,A61M

Claim:
1. An intervertebral trial for assessing an intervertebral disc space between opposing upper and lower vertebral endplates, comprising: a) a distal head having an upper surface, a lower surface, a tapered distal end portion connecting the upper and lower surfaces, and a proximal end portion consisting essentially of a neck having a longitudinal axis and a substantially spherical element; wherein the upper surface is adapted to contact the upper vertebral endplate and the lower surface is adapted to contact the lower vertebral endplate; and wherein the longitudinal axis of the neck extends between the upper and lower surfaces; wherein the neck has upper and lower surfaces located between the upper and lower surfaces of the distal head; b) a sheath having a throughbore having a threaded portion, c) a rod disposed in the throughbore, the rod having a distal end portion forming a poppet, a threaded intermediate portion, and a proximal end portion, wherein the threaded intermediate portion of the rod threadably mates with the threaded portion of the sheath, wherein the substantially spherical element of the distal head has an outer surface that is rotatably received in the poppet to form a universal joint, which allows a conical range of angulations between the head and rod.