Intervertebral implant and insertion instrument

1. An assembly for installing an intervertebral implant between first and second vertebrae, the assembly comprising:

i) an intervertebral implant including a leading end portion, a trailing end portion, a superior surface configured to engage a first vertebra, an inferior surface configured to engage a second vertebra, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface;

the intervertebral implant including a first channel extending along the first side surface from a trailing end wall toward the leading end and a second channel extending along the second side surface from the trailing end wall toward the leading end;

the intervertebral implant further including a positioning projection extending rearward from the trailing end wall;

wherein the first channel has a base wall and the second channel has a base wall, wherein a width of the intervertebral implant between the base wall of the first channel and the base wall of the second channel is less than a width of the positioning projection;

ii) an insertion instrument including an elongate shaft extending from a handle portion to a grasping mechanism configured to grasp the intervertebral implant;

the grasping mechanism including first and second jaws configured to grasp the trailing end portion of the intervertebral implant therebetween;

the first jaw including a grasping portion positionable in the first channel along the first side surface of the intervertebral implant and the second jaw including a grasping portion positionable in the second channel along the second side surface of the intervertebral implant, and

the positioning projection positionable in an enlarged opening defined between the first jaw and the second jaw.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged opening is between the grasping portions of the first and second jaws and a base portion of the first and second jaws.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enlarged opening has a width larger than a width measured between the grasping portions of the first and second jaws.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein a gap between the first jaw and the second jaw extends proximal of the enlarged opening.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the gap has a width less than the width of the enlarged opening.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising superior-inferior oriented notches located at a junction of the positioning projection and the first and second channels.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the positioning projection extends from the superior surface to the inferior surface of the intervertebral implant.

8. An intervertebral implant, comprising:

a leading end portion;

a trailing end portion;

a superior surface configured to engage a first vertebra;

an inferior surface configured to engage a second vertebra;

a first side surface;

a second side surface opposite the first side surface;

a first channel extending along the first side surface from a trailing end wall toward the leading end;

a second channel extending along the second side surface from the trailing end wall toward the leading end; and

a positioning projection extending rearward from the trailing end wall;

wherein the first channel has a base wall and the second channel has a base wall, wherein a width of the intervertebral implant between the base wall of the first channel and the base wall of the second channel is less than a width of the positioning projection.

9. The intervertebral implant of claim 8 , further comprising superior-inferior oriented notches located at a junction of the positioning projection and the first and second channels.

10. The intervertebral implant of claim 9 , wherein the notches are located at a base of the positioning projection where the positioning projection extends from the trailing end wall.