Patent ID: 6855151

Claim:
An instrument for inserting and removing an intervertebral spacer into and out from an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebral bones, the spacer having a cylindrical trunk portion having a longitudinal spacer axis, the instrument comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal shaft axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end; said proximal end including a handle; and a holding structure provided at the distal end, which holding structure includes a cylindrical enclosure having a longitudinal enclosure axis, within which cylindrical enclosure the trunk of the spacer may be selectively introduced and maintained therein such that the longitudinal spacer axis and longitudinal enclosure axis, coincide, the holding structure having an opening leading to the enclosure and through which opening the trunk of the spacer may be selectively passed in a direction perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal shaft axis and the longitudinal enclosure axis, which opening has two edges defining a width of the opening, which enclosure has an inner surface and a diameter larger than the width of the opening, and which enclosure has a constant radius of curvature from one edge of the opening to the other edge of the opening along the inner surface.