Patent ID: 8579977

Claim:
A surgical system for use with an associated intradiscal space comprising a first vertebral body having a first endplate and a second vertebral body adjacent the first vertebral body having a second endplate, the surgical system comprising: an implant comprising: (a) a first portion comprising a first opening; first and second beams; and, first and second posts that connect the first beam to the second beam: (b) a second portion comprising: first and second beams: and, first and second posts that connect the first beam to the second beam; (c) wherein the first and second beams of the first portion and the first and second beams of the second portion have outer surfaces that define first and second contact surfaces that contact the first and second endplates, respectively; (d) a pivotal connection formed between the first beam of the first portion and the first beam of the second portion; (e) wherein the implant is deployable by pivoting the second portion with respect to the first portion at the pivotal connection; and, a surgical inserter that inserts the implant into the associated vertebral space and deploys the implant within the associated vertebral space, the inserter comprising: (a) a handle; (b) an implant gripping mechanism comprising: a gripper having a first end attached to the handle and a second end having a pair of arms that can grip and release the first portion of the implant, the gripper also having an opening; wherein proximal direction is defined as the linear direction away from the second end of the gripper and towards the first end of the gripper; and, (c) an implant deployment mechanism comprising: (1) a tension force member that is attached to the second portion of the implant, wherein at least a portion of the tension force member is received within the first opening in the first portion of the implant, and wherein at least a portion of the tension force member is received within the opening in the gripper; and, (2) a tension force activator attached to the handle that applies a tension force to the tension force member to pull the tension force member through the first opening in the first portion of the implant, through the opening in the gripper, and in the proximal direction to deploy the implant, while the gripper grips the first portion of the implant, by pivoting the second portion of the implant with respect to the first portion.