Patent ID: 7491180

Claim:
A method of determining a size and/or placement of a prosthetic disc in a disc space between adjacent endplates of two vertebrae in a selected spinal area, comprising the computer implemented steps of: identifying the disc space parameters of height, width, depth and lordosis between the adjacent vertebral endplates; creating a prosthetic disc volume corresponding to an actual prosthetic disc that can be positioned in the disc space in accordance with a manufacturer's size and lordosis specifications for prosthesis; determining a center of the disc space and a center of rotation of the prosthetic disc volume; positioning the prosthetic disc volume in the disc space such that the center of rotation of the prosthetic disc volume is positioned posterior to the center of the disc space; and determining the prosthetic disc volume that fits within the disc space in accordance with a surgeon's or manufacturer's specification for prosthesis.