Patent ID: 6976988

Claim:
An instrument for manipulating an intervertebral spacer member, the spacer member having an axially medial groove the axially medial groove having a base that forms a central core of the spacer member and having walls that radially converge toward the base to provide to the groove an axial width that radially decreases toward the base, the instrument comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end forming a handle and the distal end forming a spacer member engaging subassembly including at least one selectively radially expandable and contractable enclosure; the enclosure having at least one spacer member engaging element that has radially tapering surfaces that provide to the element an axial width that radially increases from an axially relatively wider more outward portion of the element; into which enclosure the central core is introduceable when the subassembly is expanded; by which enclosure the spacer member is holdable, when the enclosure is contracted, by compression of the radially tapered surfaces of the spacer member engaging element against the radially tapering walls of the spacer member; and an actuating mechanism, extending from the proximal end to the distal end, by which the subassembly is selectively expandable and contractable.