Patent ID: 8075565

Claim:
A spinal surgical instrument, comprising: a first member engageable to a first vertebra, said first member including an elongated body extending along a first longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal end, said body further including: a proximal portion extending distally from said proximal end to an intermediate end surface; a pair of arms extending distally from said intermediate end surface to a foot at said distal end of said body, said pair of arms defining an elongated opening therebetween that extends between said intermediate end surface and said foot, said pair of arms further each including a mounting portion with at least a portion of at least one coupling mechanism mounted to said mounting portions, wherein said foot includes a wall connecting said pair of arms that is laterally offset from a distal projection of said pair of arms, said foot further including a pair of toes extending distally from said wall, said pair of toes each including a proximal portion extending distally from said wall along said first longitudinal axis to a distal portion that extends in a transverse orientation to said proximal portion; and a second member including an elongated shaft defining a central passage along a second longitudinal axis that extends between a proximal end and a distal end of said shaft, said distal end of said second member being engageable to a second vertebra, said second member being positioned through said opening between said arms of said first member, said second member including: first and second elongated slots extending along said second longitudinal axis on opposite sides of said shaft, said slots opening into said passage at a location between said proximal and distal ends of said shaft, wherein said at least one coupling mechanism on said mounting portions of said first member is received in said slots of said second member, said at least one coupling mechanism securing said first member to said second member in movable relation to one another so that said first member is translatable along said elongated slots of said second member to a selected position of said first member along said second member, said coupling mechanism further providing a pivot axis at said selected position about which said first and second members are pivotal relative one another.