Patent ID: 8491598

Claim:
A surgical positioning assembly operable for positioning a surgical implant device within an implantation site in the body of a patient through an incision and/or portal, comprising: a grip operable for holding the surgical positioning assembly along a first axis through an incision and/or portal; a retention mechanism operable for selectively coupling the surgical implant device to the grip and holding the surgical implant device substantially along the first axis; and a pivot/rotation mechanism operable for one or more of selectively pivoting and selectively rotating the surgical implant device relative to the grip until it is substantially along a second axis that is rotated relative to the first axis, the pivot/rotation mechanism comprising: a knob comprising a threaded channel; a rod comprising a hook structure and a threaded portion, the rod configured to be received in the threaded channel, the rod extending between the knob and the retention mechanism; and wherein the pivot/rotation mechanism is actuated by selectively bringing the knob into contact with the grip by rotating the knob, the contact between the knob and the grip causing the hook structure to move along the first axis with respect to the knob.