Patent ID: 7918855

Claim:
A system for preparing a space in the human spine to receive an implant between adjacent vertebral bodies, said system comprising: a bone removal device comprising: a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end opposite said proximal end, and a mid-longitudinal axis therebetween; at least a first and a second cutter sized and shaped to remove bone from the adjacent vertebral body endplates simultaneously as said first and second cutters are moved to create an implantation space, each of said first and second cutters having a leading end and an opposite trailing end, said leading ends of said first and second cutters defining a forward facing cutting area having a maximum height as measured along a line passing through said leading end of each of said first and second cutters and transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis of said shaft; a drive element having a leading portion and a trailing portion opposite said leading portion, said leading portion of said drive element connecting to said trailing ends of said first and second cutters for moving said first and second cutters, at least a portion of said distal end of said shaft and said leading portion of said drive element each having a maximum height transverse to the mid-longitudinal axis of said shaft not greater than the maximum height of said forward facing cutting area of said first and second cutters, said at least a portion of said distal end of said shaft and said leading portion of said drive element each being located within and not extending beyond the maximum height of said forward facing cutting area of said cutters; and a power source operably connected to said drive element; and a guard for providing protected access to the adjacent vertebral bodies, said guard comprising a body having a leading end, a trailing end opposite said leading end, a mid-longitudinal axis therebetween, and an opening passing through said leading and trailing ends, said opening having a height and a width transverse to and greater than said height, said height of said opening being greater than the maximum height of the forward facing cutting area of said bone removal device, said opening being sized and shaped to permit said first and second cutters to pass through said body and access the vertebral body endplates.