Spine surgery method and instrumentation

1. A method of placing an implant into a disc space between a pair of spinal vertebrae comprising the steps of:

providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection;

placing a distal end of the distractor into the disc space between the pair of spinal vertebrae;

placing the implant at a proximal end of the distractor;

placing the inserter into the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection and against the implant;

moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor;

inserting the implant into the disc space; and,

deploying the implant within the intradical space by applying tension to a cable that is operatively connected to the implant and that extends at least partially through the inserter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to the step of, moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor, the method comprises the step of:

attaching the cable to the inserter.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of, attaching the cable to the inserter, comprises the steps of:

removing a cap from the inserter;

connecting the cable to the inserter; and,

replacing the cap onto the inserter.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, deploying the implant within the intradical space by applying tension to a cable that is operatively connected to the implant and that extends at least partially through the inserter, comprises the step of:

applying tension to the cable with a cable tensioning device attached to the inserter.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

calibrating the cable tensioning device to match the tensile strength of the cable.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of, applying tension to the cable with a cable tensioning device attached to the inserter, comprises the step of:

rotating a knob extending from the inserter.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of, rotating a knob extending from the inserter, comprises the step of:

rotating the knob a first amount to achieve a first audible sound that signifies that the implant has been deployed; and,

rotating the knob a second amount to achieve a second audible sound that signifies that the cable material is about to fail.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of, applying tension to the cable with a cable tensioning device attached to the inserter, comprises the step of:

winding the cable about a shaft.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

cutting the cable.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the steps of:

providing the distractor with at least one rail; and,

providing the inserter with at least one groove that receives the rail.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the step of:

providing the implant with at least one groove that receives the rail.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the steps of:

providing the inserter with at least one rail; and,

providing the distractor with at least one groove that receives the rail.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the step of:

providing the implant with at least one rail that is received within the groove.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to the step of, moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor, the method comprises the steps of:

providing the implant with a convex surface; and,

providing the inserter with a concave surface that receives the convex surface.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of:

tightening the concave surface against the convex surface.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of, tightening the concave surface against the convex surface, comprises the step of:

moving a sleeve along the length of the inserter to compress a slot formed at a distal end of the inserter.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing the distal end of the distractor with a curvilinear shape along the length of the distractor and the proximal end of the distractor with a substantially straight shape along the length of the distractor; and,

wherein the step of, moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor, comprises the steps of:

(a) moving the inserter and implant along a substantially straight path; and,

(b) moving the inserter and implant along a curved path.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor, comprises the step of:

using a counter rotation handle extending from a proximal end of the inserter.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of, limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter, comprises the steps of:

providing the inserter with an endstop; and,

contacting the distractor with the endstop.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of, limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter, comprises the steps of:

providing the distractor with an endstop; and,

contacting the inserter with the endstop.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of, limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter, comprises the step of:

aligning a marking on the inserter with a marking on the distractor.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein after the step of, placing the implant at a proximal end of the distractor, the method comprises the step of:

compressing an inserter handle and a distractor handle together.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, placing the inserter into the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection and against the implant, comprises the step of:

pivoting an end section of the inserter about a hinge joint.

25. A method of placing an implant into a disc space between a pair of spinal vertebrae comprising the steps of:

providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection;

providing the inserter and the implant with an inserter/implant concave/convex interconnection, this step comprising the steps of: providing the implant with a convex surface;

and, providing the inserter with a concave surface that receives the convex surface;

placing a distal end of the distractor into the disc space between the pair of spinal vertebrae;

placing the implant at a proximal end of the distractor;

placing the inserter into the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection and against the implant, this step comprising the step of: placing the inserter into the inserter/implant concave/convex interconnection;

tightening the concave surface against the convex surface, this step comprising the step of:

moving a sleeve along the length of the inserter to compress a slot formed at a distal end of the inserter moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor; and

inserting the implant into the disc space.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the steps of:

providing the distractor with at least one rail; and,

providing the inserter with at least one groove that receives the rail.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the step of:

providing the implant with at least one groove that receives the rail.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the steps of:

providing the inserter with at least one rail; and,

providing the distractor with at least one groove that receives the rail.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of, providing a distractor and an inserter having a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection, comprises the step of:

providing the implant with at least one rail that is received within the groove.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

providing the distal end of the distractor with a curvilinear shape along the length of the distractor and the proximal end of the distractor with a substantially straight shape along the length of the distractor; and,

wherein the step of, moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor, comprises the steps of:

(a) moving the inserter and implant along a substantially straight path; and,

(b) moving the inserter and implant along a curved path.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of, moving the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection to thereby move the implant from the proximal end of the distractor to the distal end of the distractor, comprises the step of:

using a counter rotation handle extending from a proximal end of the inserter.

32. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of:

limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of, limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter, comprises the steps of:

providing the inserter with an endstop; and,

contacting the distractor with the endstop.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of, limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter, comprises the steps of:

providing the distractor with an endstop; and,

contacting the inserter with the endstop.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the step of, limiting the relative movement of the distractor and the inserter along the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection with a motion limiter, comprises the step of:

aligning a marking on the inserter with a marking on the distractor.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein after the step of, placing the implant at a proximal end of the distractor, the method comprises the step of:

compressing an inserter handle and a distractor handle together.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of, placing the inserter into the distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection and against the implant, comprises the step of:

pivoting an end section of the inserter about a hinge joint.