Instrumentation with inwardly moveable extensions for inserting an expandable interbody spinal fusion implant

1. A combination of an interbody spinal implant and an implant holder for use in human interbody spinal surgery comprising:

said interbody spinal implant having a trailing end adapted to be engaged to said implant holder; and

said implant holder having a body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a length therebetween, and at least two extensions extending from said distal end of said body, said extensions having an interior surface and an exterior surface opposite said interior surface, said extensions being adapted to be moved toward one another by an inward force applied by a user to said exterior surface to permit said extensions of said implant holder to pass into said trailing end of said implant and for said exterior surface to cooperatively engage said trailing end of said implant after the inward force is removed.

2. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said body of said implant holder has a passage along at least a portion of the length of said body, said passage being configured to permit the passage of an instrument or fusion promoting substances therethrough.

3. The combination of claim 2 , wherein said extensions include a projection adapted to cooperatively engage at least a portion of said trailing end of said implant.

4. The combination of claim 3 , wherein said projection is adapted to cooperatively engage a recess in said trailing end of said implant.

5. The combination of claim 4 , wherein said projection includes a flange and said recess is a slot.

6. The combination of claim 4 , wherein said projection includes a pin and said recess is a pin receiving opening.

7. The combination of claim 3 , wherein said implant is an expandable spinal implant, said projection being adapted to remain engaged to said expandable spinal implant while said implant is expanded from an unexpanded position to an expanded position.

8. The combination of claim 7 , wherein said projection is a pin adapted to move within a recess in said trailing end while said expandable spinal implant is expanded from the unexpanded position to the expanded position.

9. The combination of claim 2 , wherein said proximal end of said body is adapted to receive a handle.

10. The combination of claim 9 , wherein said handle is detachable.

11. The combination of claim 2 , wherein said implant is an expandable spinal implant, the combination further in combination with an expander driver adapted to expand said expandable implant.

12. The combination of claim 11 , wherein said implant has an expander, said implant being adapted to increase in height with rotation of said expander, said expander driver having a distal end adapted to engage said expander of said expandable implant to permit rotation of said expander of said expandable implant.

13. The combination of claim 12 , wherein said expander driver includes a handle to allow said expander driver to be rotated upon engagement with said expander of said expandable implant.

14. The combination of claim 12 , wherein said distal end of said expander driver has a tip adapted to cooperatively engage an opening in said expander of said expandable implant.

15. The combination of claim 12 , wherein said expandable implant has at least a second expander, said expander driver being adapted to engage at least two of said expanders.

16. The combination of claim 15 , wherein said expander driver has an elongated tip adapted to cooperatively engage an opening in at least two of said expanders.

17. The combination of claim 11 , wherein said expander driver has an implant holder engagement portion configured for lockable engagement with an expander driver engagement portion of said body of said implant holder.

18. The combination of claim 17 , wherein said expander driver is movable within said passage of said body between a first locked position not permitting rotation relative to said implant holder and a second locked position permitting said expander driver to rotate relative to said implant holder.

19. The combination of claim 18 , wherein said expander driver engagement portion limits the rotation of said expander driver to one direction in the second locked position.

20. The combination of claim 19 , wherein said expander driver engagement portion limits the amount of rotation of said expander driver in the second locked position.

21. The combination of claim 17 , wherein said implant holder engagement portion of said expander driver has at least one detent adapted for lockable engagement with a spring-biased ball in said expander driver engagement portion of said body of said implant holder.

22. The combination of claim 11 , wherein said expander driver has an enlarged portion sized and shaped to fit into and rotate within said passage of said body.

23. The combination of claim 22 , wherein said enlarged portion of said expander driver has a shoulder and a peg adapted to cooperate with said body of said implant holder, said body of said implant holder having a cutout and a slot adapted to cooperate with said shoulder and peg of said enlarged portion of said expander driver to limit the rotation of said expander driver while engaged with said body of said implant holder.

24. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said spinal implant is a spinal fusion implant for promoting fusion between adjacent vertebral bodies, said implant having upper and lower surfaces for placement between and in contact with the adjacent vertebral bodies, each of said upper and lower surfaces having at least one opening adapted to permit bone from the adjacent vertebral bodies to grow through said implant.

25. The combination of claim 24 , wherein said spinal fusion implant has a hollow between said upper and lower surfaces for holding fusion promoting substances.

26. The combination of claim 24 , wherein said spinal fusion implant is an expandable implant having an expander adapted to increase the height of said implant upon movement from an insertion position to a final deployed position.

27. The combination of claim 26 , wherein said spinal fusion implant is separable into an upper member and a lower member to permit the placement of said expander between said upper and lower members.

28. The combination of claim 27 , wherein said upper and lower members are at least in part arcuate.

29. The combination of claim 28 , wherein said spinal fusion implant includes a thread along at least a portion of said upper and lower surfaces of said spinal fusion implant.

30. The combination of claim 27 , wherein said upper and lower members are configured for at least in part linear insertion into a prepared implantation space between the adjacent vertebral bodies.

31. The combination of claim 30 , wherein said spinal fusion implant includes surface projections configured to resist expulsion of said implant from an implantation space into which said implant is adapted to be inserted.

32. The combination of claim 27 , wherein said upper and lower members are angled relative to one another to induce an angulation of the adjacent vertebral bodies relative to one another.

33. The combination of claim 24 , wherein said spinal fusion implant is in combination with a fusion promoting substance.

34. The combination of claim 33 , wherein said fusion promoting substance is selected from one of bone, bone derived products, demineralized bone matrix, ossifying proteins, bone morphogenetic protein, hydroxyapatite, and genes coding for the production of bone.

35. The combination of claim 24 , wherein said implant is treated with a fusion promoting substance.

36. The combination of claim 24 , wherein said implant is in combination with a chemical substance adapted to inhibit scar formation.

37. The combination of claim 24 , wherein said implant is in combination with an antimicrobial material.

38. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant comprises at least in part of one of bone and bone growth promoting material.

39. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant comprises at least one of the following materials: metal, titanium, plastic, and ceramic appropriate for implantation in the human body.

40. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant is at least in part resorbable.

41. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant is formed of a porous material.

42. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant is an inert spacer.

43. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant is an artificial disc.

44. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant is a bone graft.

45. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said implant has a hollow between said upper and lower surfaces, said hollow having a composite material therein.

46. The combination of claim 45 , wherein said composite material is other than bone.

47. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said exterior surface of said implant holder is adapted to linearly engage said implant.

48. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said exterior surface of said implant holder is adapted to slideably engage said implant.

49. The combination of claim 1 , wherein said exterior surface of said implant holder is adapted to lock to said implant.