Patent ID: 7976549

Claim:
A medical instrument for placing an insert in a space between boney structures, said instrument comprising: a body; an engagement member rotatably coupled to said body and configured to releasably hold an insert, said engagement member rotatable in a first plane of rotation relative to said body; an articulating member coupled to said body for translation relative to said body and to said engagement member and adapted to rotate, in a second plane of rotation transverse to said first plane of rotation, the insert held by said engagement member relative to said body in response to the translation; an articulator operatively coupled to said articulating member; wherein actuating said articulator translates said articulating member relative to said body and to said engagement member to rotate, in said second plane of rotation, the insert held by said engagement member relative to said body in response to the translation; and wherein said articulator comprises a rotating member configured to rotate about said body.