Insertion tool for a vertebral defect device

1. A combination comprising:

a vertebral defect device comprising a housing having a convexly tapered generally bluntly rounded distal end, a proximal end, a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side and an outer surface having generally rounded edges thereby facilitating insertion into an intervertebral disk space between a pair of adjacent vertebrae, the top having an upper opening and the bottom having a lower opening, a length of the vertebral defect device as measured from the distal end to the proximal end being greater than a width of the vertebral defect device as measured between the first and second sides and being greater than a height of the vertebral defect device as measured between the top and bottom, a maximum width of the vertebral defect device as measured between the first and second sides being different than a maximum height of the vertebral defect device as measured between the top and bottom; and

an insertion tool having a first finger sized and shaped to cooperatively engage the upper opening, a second finger sized and shaped to cooperatively engage the lower opening, and a driving member disposed between the first and second fingers and sized and shaped to engage at least a portion of an outer surface of said housing of the vertebral defect device, the first and second fingers being retractable with respect to the housing of the vertebral defect device, wherein an outer surface of each finger is shaped to match a contoured shape of the vertebral defect device proximate to the respective finger to allow a smooth insertion of the vertebral defect device between the pair of adjacent vertebrae and wherein during insertion the driving member is driven to push the vertebral defect device into an intervertebral disk space between the pair of adjacent vertebrae,

wherein the vertebral defect device is generally egg-shaped with rounded or contoured edges on all exposed surfaces when the vertebral defect device is attached to the insertion tool, with the taper of the distal end diminishing more gradually than a taper of the proximal end,

wherein the combination has generally smooth and rounded edges on exterior surfaces exposed during insertion into an intervertebral space.

2. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second fingers are retractable, such that after the vertebral defect device is inserted to a desired position in the intervertebral disk space, the first and second fingers are retracted while the vertebral defect device is held in place by the driving member.

3. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the vertebral defect device includes at least one upper arch and at least one lower arch, and wherein the first finger has first and second prongs for straddling one of the upper and lower arches of the vertebral defect device.

4. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second fingers are forked to accommodate the upper and lower arches of the vertebral defect device.

5. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom of the vertebral defect device are at least partially convexly shaped enough to cooperatively mate with concavities of adjacent vertebrae, and the first and second sides are at least partially convexly shaped.

6. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the vertebral defect device has a lesser average radius of curvature than the proximal end.