Patent ID: 6981990

Claim:
A device for implanting cervical prostheses, comprising a cervical prosthesis, an insertion instrument including a pair of gripping members which are configured to grip the cervical prosthesis on opposite sides of the cervical prosthesis, and a holder, separate from the insertion instrument, configured to receive the cervical prosthesis with an exact fit, wherein the gripping members and the prosthesis have complementary projections and recesses which are configured to precisely define the relative position of the prosthesis at least in an anterior-posterior direction and which are configured to be brought into engagement and be released from one another by relative movement of the gripping members in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the insertion instrument and transverse to the anterior-posterior direction of the prosthesis, and wherein the holder comprises an opening with guide elements formed therein for guiding the insertion instrument into a removal position in which the complementary projections and recesses lie opposite one another.