Patent ID: 8460386

Claim:
A method of inserting an intervertebral prosthetic disc assembly from a transforaminal approach comprising: inserting a separator into the intervertebral space at an oblique angle from the medial lateral axis; inserting a trial into an intervertebral space at an oblique angle from the medial lateral axis; creating at least one first pathway in at least one vertebral body with a chisel, wherein the location of said pathway is determined by the position of the trial; inserting a prosthetic disc assembly into an intervertebral space using at, least one first pathway, wherein at least one first pathway determines the position of the first assembly wherein the prosthetic disc assembly having an upper endplate with an extension portion and a lower endplate having first and second side rails positioned along and above the length of the lower endplate and defining a first and second window on opposing sides of the lower endplate, wherein the extension portion of the upper endplate substantially contacts an upper surface of the lower endplate and wherein the first and second side rails are curved to match the curvature of the upper surface of the lower endplate thereby creating the first and second windows having an upper border that is defined by the curved rails and a lower border that is defined by the curvature of the lower endplate.