Patent ID: 8551105

Claim:
A method for distracting adjacent vertebrae and inserting an implant between the distracted vertebrae, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a vertebral distractor-inserter having a pair of opposing arms each having a distal end, a housing in mechanical communication with the plurality of arms, and a drive mechanism in mechanical communication with a driving rod, wherein the driving rod extends between the pair of opposing arms such that the driving rod may not be moved proximally relative to the opposing arms; (b) retracting the driving rod of the vertebral distractor-inserter by rotating the driving rod about its axis such that the driving rod disengages from the drive mechanism and the driving rod may be moved proximally relative to the opposing arms; (c) mounting the implant to the driving rod of the vertebral distractor inserter; (d) positioning the distal ends of the pair of arms between the vertebrae; (e) distracting the vertebrae by single-handed operation of the vertebral distractor-inserter; (f) inserting the implant between the distracted vertebrae by single-handed operation of the vertebral distractor-inserter; and (g) retracting the pair of opposing arms from between the vertebrae.