Patent ID: 8353913

Claim:
A tool for manipulating and inserting a universal, intervertebral bone fusion spacer into a disc space between a first vertebral body and a second vertebral body for providing fusion of the first vertebral body to the second vertebral body via biological bone fusion and screw fusion, wherein the universal, intervertebral bone fusion spacer includes an intervertebral cage having a first integral screw guide and a second integral screw guide, wherein each longitudinal end of the intervertebral cage includes a slot or indentation formed adjacent to an edge of an upper surface of the intervertebral cage, the tool comprising: a gripper having a plurality of prongs, wherein a distal end of each of the plurality of prongs is capable of engaging a respective slot or indentation of the intervertebral cage; and a screw guide for controlling a direction of screws that are inserted into the first integral screw guide and the second integral screw guide, wherein the screw guide is positioned between the plurality of prongs.