Patent ID: 7294134

Claim:
A surgical instrument for introduction of an intervertebral prosthesis ( 10 ), having at least two prosthesis plates ( 14 , 16 ) and a prosthesis core ( 12 ), comprising: a gripping element ( 20 ); a U-shaped intervertebral prosthesis ( 10 ) holder ( 30 ), the U-shaped intervertebral prosthesis ( 10 ) holder ( 30 ) located at the distal end of the gripping element ( 20 ), a vertebrae stop ( 40 ) arranged on the gripping element ( 20 ) and movable along a lengthwise axis of the gripping element ( 20 ); wherein the U-shaped holder ( 30 ) defines a plane extending along the lengthwise axis of the gripping element ( 20 ) that divides the gripping element ( 20 ) into a first portion located above the plane and a second portion located below the plane; wherein the vertebrae stop ( 40 ) extends from above the first portion of the gripping element ( 20 ) to below the second portion of the gripping element ( 20 ).