Patent ID: 8425528

Claim:
A system for inserting an intervertebral prosthesis within a spine of a mammal, comprising: an intervertebral prosthesis, comprising: (i) a body including first and second spaced apart major surfaces and at least anterior and posterior sidewalls extending therebetween, the first major surface for engaging an endplate of a first vertebral bone of a spine, and the second major surface for engaging an endplate of an adjacent, second vertebral bone of the spine, and the first and second major surfaces defining a longitudinal axis extending substantially normal to said surfaces; (ii) a first aperture extending from within the body, transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis, and opening at the first major surface; (iii) a first anchoring element disposed within the first aperture and including a threaded shaft having proximal and distal ends; and (iii) a first gear disposed adjacent to and in meshed, threaded communication with the threaded shaft of the first anchoring element such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the first anchoring element; and an insertion tool, comprising: (i) a handle disposed at a proximal end of the tool and including a drive nut operating to produce rotational torque in response to user-input about a central axis; and (ii) a first drive shaft including proximal and distal ends; the proximal end in communication with the drive nut, receiving rotational torque therefrom, and imparting rotational torque to the first drive shaft about a first axis, which is laterally offset from the central axis; and the distal end of the first drive shaft including a first drive head, wherein the first drive head engages the first gear of the intervertebral prosthesis, such that rotation of the first gear causes rotation of the first anchoring element of the intervertebral prosthesis, deployment of the first anchoring element from the body, and threading of the first anchoring element into the first vertebral bone in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the body and the spine.