Patent ID: 6966912

Claim:
A method for preparing a disc space between adjacent vertebral bodies of a human spine to receive an insert at least in part therebetween, said method being performed with a device having a mid-longitudinal axis and a rotatable abrading element having an abrading surface, said method comprising the steps of: activating the device to cause the abrading surface to move; inserting the abrading surface at least in part between the adjacent vertebral bodies; contacting the abrading surface of the abrading element against at least one of the adjacent vertebral bodies to remove bone from an end plate of one of the vertebral bodies that lies adjacent the disc space to form a surface on that vertebral body; rotating the abrading element about an axis different from the mid-longitudinal axis of the device; removing the abrading surface from the disc space; and positioning an insert into the space created between the adjacent vertebral bodies.