Patent ID: 8852279

Claim:
A method of installing an intervertebral implant, the method comprising: creating an access path to a disc space using a posterolateral approach; performing a partial or complete discectomy in the disc space; placing an implant cannula having a diameter of less than 10 millimeters through the access path such that a distal end of the implant cannula is disposed in the disc space; placing an intervertebral implant through the implant cannula and into the disc space, the intervertebral implant comprising a first endplate, a second endplate, a central ramp disposed between the first endplate and the second endplate, the central ramp comprising a ramped expansion portion at one end of the intervertebral implant and a central ramp extension extending from the ramped expansion portion; a driving ramp at an opposite end of the intervertebral implant from the ramped expansion portion, the driving ramp comprising a longitudinal through bore, and an actuation member having a head portion and an actuation member extension extending through the longitudinal through bore to engage the central ramp extension; and rotating the actuation member such that the central ramp moves in a first direction and the driving ramp moves in a second direction opposite the first direction, thereby moving the intervertebral implant from a first unexpanded configuration to a second expanded configuration, wherein the central ramp moves in the first direction such that one or more downwardly ramped surfaces of the central ramp engage one or more central ramped surfaces of the first endplate disposed between the first and second ramped surfaces of the first endplate and causes one or more upwardly facing ramped surfaces of the central ramp to engage one or more central ramped surfaces of the second endplate disposed between the first and second ramped surfaces of the second endplate, the one or more downwardly ramped surfaces and the one or more upwardly ramped surfaces projecting from the central ramp extension.