Patent ID: 8753347

Claim:
A minimally invasive system for implanting an implant in a spinal facet joint space, the system comprising: the implant comprising a leading distal portion and a trailing proximal portion; a first tool comprising a proximal region, a distal region opposite the proximal region, and a tubular body extending between the proximal and distal regions, the tubular body comprising a lumen extending through the tubular body between the proximal and distal regions, the distal region distally terminating in a first chamfered tip comprising a first fork and a second fork offset from the first fork by a distance measured transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body; and a second tool comprising a proximal part, a distal part opposite the proximal part, and an elongated body extending between the proximal and distal parts, the distal part terminating in an implant support structure configured to releasably couple to the implant, the elongated body of the second tool being configured to extend through the lumen of the first tool, wherein the first tool and second tool are further configured relative to each other such that, when the implant is releasably coupled to the implant support structure and the first chamfered tip is positioned in the spinal facet joint space and the elongated body of the second tool extends through the lumen of the first tool such that the implant is positioned in the spinal facet joint, the implant support structure and the implant releasably coupled to the implant support structure are both positioned between the first and second forks, and wherein the implant support structure comprises a first arm and a second arm offset from the first arm by a distance transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body.