Patent ID: 7491205

Claim:
A spinal distractor for use in spinal fusion surgery within an adult human thoracic and lumbar spine for positioning adjacent vertebral bodies of two adjacent vertebrae adjacent a disc space in selected relationship to each other, said spinal distractor comprising: a body having a height adapted to be greater than the height of the disc space; and at least one disc penetrating extension extending from said body adapted to be inserted into the lateral aspect of the disc space from a position anterior to the transverse processes of the adjacent vertebrae, said disc penetrating extension having a portion adapted to bear against each of the adjacent endplates of the two adjacent vertebral bodies, said portion of said disc penetrating extension having a height less than the height of said body and a length that is less than the transverse width of the vertebral bodies between which said disc penetrating extension is adapted to be inserted, said length being greater than the depth of the spinal disc intermediate the two adjacent vertebral bodies between which said disc penetrating extension is adapted to be inserted.