Patent ID: 8282642

Claim:
A drill guide apparatus comprising: a handle assembly; an extension member extending from the handle assembly; a mounting plate disposed on a distal end of the extension member, wherein the mounting plate includes a curvate socket extending between a first bone plate contacting surface and an opposed second surface of the mounting plate, wherein the first and second surfaces of the mounting plate are substantially parallel; a protrusion extending distally from the mounting plate configured for selective engagement with a vertebral plate, wherein the protrusion is laterally offset from the curvate socket; a guide member extending proximally from the mounting plate and defining a longitudinal axis, the guide member including a cylindrical portion and a semi-spherical outer surface portion, the semi-spherical outer surface portion is rotatably mounted within the curvate socket formed in the mounting plate such that the guide member may be positioned at a plurality of angles relative to the mounting plate, wherein the guide member includes a transition between the cylindrical portion and the semi-spherical portion, wherein engagement of the transition with the second surface of the mounting plate limits the angle between the guide member and the mounting plate; and a rotation mechanism operably connecting the extension member and the handle assembly, the rotation mechanism configured to selectively position the handle assembly relative to the mounting plate.