Decoupled spacer and plate and method of installing the same

Abstract

Intervertebral spacer assemblies, systems, and methods thereof. A method of insertion includes inserting an intervertebral spacer and plate together using an insertion tool and, upon removal of the insertion tool, the intervertebral spacer and plate are no longer considered connected/coupled and act as separate components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical method comprising:
 (a) providing a plate and an intervertebral spacer adapted to be in contact with the plate, wherein both the plate and the spacer have lateral sides each having at least one recess;   (b) attaching, to the insertion tool, the plate and the spacer in contact with the plate by inserting the insertion tool to the recesses in the lateral sides of the plate and the spacer;   (c) delivering the attached plate and intervertebral spacer to a surgical site in a patient via the insertion tool;   (d) inserting the intervertebral spacer within a disc space;   (e) attaching the plate to one or more vertebral bodies adjacent the disc space; and   (f) removing the insertion tool such that the intervertebral spacer and plate are decoupled from each other at the surgical site.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insertion tool comprises a first distal finger and a second distal finger, and wherein step (b) includes inserting protrusions of the first and second fingers in the recesses of the plate and the spacer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each of the lateral sides of both the plate and the spacer includes at least two recesses and step (b) includes inserting protrusions of the first and second fingers in the at least two recesses of all of the lateral sides of the plate and the spacer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein step (f) includes splaying the first and second fingers apart to release the insertion tool from the inserted plate and the inserted spacer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein splaying includes pivoting the first and second fingers about a pivot point. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inserting graft material into an open graft area defined by the lateral sides of the intervertebral spacer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plate includes an anterior surface and the intervertebral spacer includes a posterior surface and wherein step (a) comprises contacting the anterior surface with the posterior surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spacer includes a posterior side which together with the lateral sides define a graft window open to the posterior direction, the method further comprising inserting a graft material into the graft window which is open in the posterior direction.   
     
     
         9 . A surgical method comprising:
 (a) providing a plate and an intervertebral spacer adapted to be in contact with but not attached to the plate, wherein both the plate and the spacer have left and right lateral sides each having at least one recess open in a lateral direction to a central axis defined between a posterior end and an anterior end;   (b) attaching, to the insertion tool, the plate and the spacer in contact with the plate by inserting the insertion tool to the recesses in the left and right lateral sides of the plate and the spacer;   (c) delivering the attached plate and intervertebral spacer to a surgical site in a patient via the insertion tool with the attached plate and spacer;   (d) inserting the intervertebral spacer within a disc space;   (e) attaching the plate to one or more vertebral bodies adjacent the disc space; and   (f) removing the insertion tool such that the intervertebral spacer and plate are decoupled from each other at the surgical site.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the insertion tool comprises a first distal finger and a second distal finger, and wherein step (b) includes inserting protrusions of the first and second fingers in the recesses of the plate and the spacer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the lateral sides of both the plate and the spacer includes at least two recesses and step (b) includes inserting protrusions of the first and second fingers in the at least two recesses of all of the lateral sides of the plate and the spacer. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein step (f) includes splaying the first and second fingers apart to release the insertion tool from the inserted plate and the inserted spacer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein splaying includes pivoting the first and second fingers away from each other about a pivot point. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising inserting graft material into an open graft area defined by the first and second lateral sides of the intervertebral spacer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plate includes an anterior surface and the intervertebral spacer includes a posterior surface and wherein step (a) comprises contacting the anterior surface with the posterior surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the spacer includes a posterior side which together with the lateral sides define a graft window open to the posterior direction, the method further comprising inserting a graft material into the graft window which is open in the posterior direction.