Patent ID: 7615079

Claim:
A method of performing a spinal fusion procedure, comprising: (a) inserting a distractor into the disc space of a patient, the distractor having a monorail on a lateral side, the monorail comprising a single, elongated member; (b) rotating the distractor 90 degrees to distract the disc space; (c) engaging a channel of a disc space preparation instrument with the single, elongated member of the monorail of the distractor so that the disc preparation instrument and the distractor are slidable relative to one another in a longitudinal direction, but not in a lateral direction; (d) sliding the disc space preparation instrument down the monorail and into the disc space; (e) cleaning and preparing the disc space using the disc space preparation instrument; (f) removing the disc space preparation instrument; (g) threading an implant to an insertion tool having a channel; (h) joining the insertion tool with the monorail of the distractor; and (i) pushing the implant down the monorail of the distractor and into the disc space using the insertion tool.