Patent ID: 7967862

Claim:
A method for implanting an articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis into an intervertebral disc space, wherein the intervertebral disc space is composed of a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the method comprising: surgically accessing the intervertebral disc space through an opening on a posterior side of the intervertebral disc space and on the first lateral side of the intervertebral disc space; inserting a first half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis through the opening and into the intervertebral disc space; inserting a second half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis through the opening, wherein the first half of the intervertebral disc prosthesis is separate from and not connected to the second half of the intervertebral disc prosthesis; positioning the first half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis on the second lateral side of the intervertebral disc space such that the entirety of the first half of the articulating disc prosthesis is situated on the second lateral side of the intervertebral disc space; and positioning the second half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis on the first lateral side of the intervertebral disc space such that the entirety of the second half of the articulating disc prosthesis is situated on the first lateral side of the intervertebral disc space.