Patent ID: 7776051

Claim:
A surgical instrument for adjusting distances between bony structures, said surgical instrument comprising: a first elongated member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis running from said proximal end to said distal end of said first elongated member, wherein said first elongated member has a first through-hole extending from said proximal end of said first elongated member to said distal end of said first elongated member, and said distal end of said elongated member is adapted to couple with a first vertebra via a first bone engaging member, a second elongated member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis running from said proximal end to said distal end of said second elongated member, wherein said second elongated member has a second through-hole extending from said proximal end of said second elongated member and to said distal end of said second elongated member, and said distal end of said elongated member is adapted to couple with a second vertebra via a second bone engaging member, an engaging element having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, wherein said engaging element is pivotably coupled to said second elongated member, a length adjuster for moving said first elongated member and said second elongated member toward or away from one another, a first member and a second member, each of said first and second members coupled to said first elongated member and said engaging element such that said longitudinal axis of said first elongated member and said longitudinal axis of said engaging element is maintained in a general parallel relationship, and an angular adjuster coupled to said second elongated member and said engaging element so as to allow adjustment of an angle of said longitudinal axis of said first elongated member relative to said longitudinal axis of said second elongated member.