Patent ID: 8758350

Claim:
A method for manipulating a fragment of a bone, comprising: inserting a distal end of a bone fixation element into a fragment of a fractured bone, the bone fixation element extending longitudinally from the distal end to a proximal end; inserting the proximal end of the bone fixation element into a distal end of a clamping device in a first position, the clamping device including a hollow body and a clamping body movable therein, the hollow body extending longitudinally from the distal end to a proximal end and including a cavity extending proximally from the distal end such that the proximal end of the bone fixation element is received between an inner wall of the cavity and an exterior surface of the clamping body; and moving the clamping body from the first position, in which the external surface of the clamping body is separated from the inner wall of the cavity by a first distance, to a second position, in which the external surface of the clamping body is separated from the inner wall of the cavity by a second distance smaller than the first distance such that the bone fixation element is held therein.