Patent ID: 8398649

Claim:
An articulating transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion inserter device operable for placing, positioning, and inserting a spinal implant into an intervertebral space with minimum tissue disruption and maximum inline impaction forces, comprising: a first elongate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and an axis; a handle disposed at the proximal end of the first elongate shaft; an articulating joint mechanism disposed at the distal end of the first elongate shaft; and an inserter piece coupled to the articulating joint mechanism, wherein the inserter piece is operable for selectively retaining the spinal implant, and wherein the inserter piece comprises a second elongate shaft, and wherein the articulating joint mechanism is operable for selectively actuating the inserter piece between a plurality of substantially off-axis configurations and a substantially on-axis configuration with respect to the first elongate shaft such that the second elongate shaft extends substantially along the axis of the first elongate shaft in the on-axis configuration and such that the second elongate shaft extends at an angle relative to the first elongate shaft in the off-axis configuration, and wherein the articulating joint mechanism comprises a base, a slotted capstan pivotably coupled to the base, and a locking bar configured to selectively engage/disengage the slotted capstan.