REMOVABLE RASP/TRIAL MEMBER INSERT, KIT AND METHOD OF USE

1 . A method of traumatizing a pair of adjacent vertebral endplates comprising:

providing a surgical instrument having a pivoting distal removable insert, a proximal handle portion, a body portion, and a linkage member, positioned between the distal insert and the proximal handle portion, the distal removable insert having a first angular position relative to the body and the distal removable insert having textured top and bottom surfaces;

placing a leading end of the distal removable insert in a first position between two adjacent vertebral endplates;

moving the distal removable insert to a second position between the adjacent vertebral endplates by impacting the proximal end portion of the surgical instrument;

pivoting the distal removable insert to a second angular position relative to the body portion by rotating the handle about the body portion;

locking the second angular position of the distal insert; and

moving the distal removable insert to a third position between the adjacent vertebral endplates by impacting the proximal end portion of the surgical instrument.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the distal removable insert from between the adjacent vertebral endplates;

detaching the distal removable insert from the surgical instrument;

replacing the distal removable insert with a second distal removable insert chosen from a kit having a plurality of distal removable inserts.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of distal removable inserts have a height between the top and the bottom surfaces in a range of 4 mm to 20 mm.

4 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

placing a leading end of the second distal removable insert in a first position between tow adjacent vertebral endplates;

moving the second distal removable insert to a second position between the adjacent vertebral endplates by impacting the proximal end portions of the surgical instrument;

pivoting the second distal removable insert to a second angular position relative to the body by rotating the handle about the body;

locking the second angular position of the second distal insert; and

moving the second distal removable insert to a third position between the adjacent vertebral endplates by impacting the proximal end portion of the surgical instrument.

5 . A surgical kit for spine surgery, comprising:

a surgical instrument comprising;

an elongated member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;

an articulation member slidingly coupled to the elongated member, wherein the articulation member has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;

an actuating mechanism coupled to the proximal end portions of elongated member and articulation member configured to move the articulation member relative to the elongated member;

at least one removable inserts, wherein each of the removable inserts comprises;

an insertion linkage having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, wherein the proximal end portion of the insertion linkage is pivotedly coupled to the distal end portion of the articulation member; and

a removable insert body, configured to be detachably rotatedly coupled to the distal end portion of the elongated member and rotatedly coupled to the distal end portion of the insertion linkage, the removable insert body having a height between a top surface and an opposite bottom surface in a range between 4 mm and 20 mm.

6 . The surgical kit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one removable insert comprises a plurality of removable inserts.

7 . The surgical kit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the removable insert further comprises at least a portion of a surface configured to traumatize tissue.

8 . The surgical kit of claim 5 , wherein the at least a portion of a surface comprises a plurality of teeth.

9 . The surgical kit of claim 5 , wherein the at least one removable insert is pivotally coupled to the insertion linkage via a pin.

10 . A removable insert for orthopedic surgery comprising:

a body having first arcuate side wall, a second arcuate side wall, a rear wall, a front wall and a height between a top surface and bottom surfaces positioned between the front and rear walls, the first arcuate side wall having a slot extending at least partially into the body and positioned between the top and bottom surfaces, the top and bottom surfaces having a first bore extending through the top and bottom surfaces;

a curved link member having a first end portion positioned within the slot of the body and a second end portion having a pair of arms defining a second slot, the first end portion having a second bore and the second end portion having a third bore;

a first pin positioned within the first and second bores and pivotably coupling the body and the curved link member.

11 . The removable insert of claim 10 further comprising an elongated link member having a first end portion with a fourth bore and positioned within the second slot and a second pin positioned within the third and fourth bores pivotably coupling the elongated link member to the curved link member.

12 . The removable insert of claim 10 wherein the top surface and the bottom surface of a distal end portion of the body are tapered toward each other.

13 . The removable insert of claim 10 wherein at least one of the top and the bottom surfaces of the body include a plurality of teeth.

14 . The removable insert of claim 10 wherein at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the body are generally smooth.

15 . The removable insert of claim 10 wherein the height is in a range between 4 mm and 20 mm.