Patent ID: 8142435

Claim:
A surgical instrument for inserting an implant between two bones, the surgical instrument comprising: a holder member; a housing member having a proximal end, a distal end and a central bore extending there between, the proximal end of the housing member being fixed to a distal end of the holder member; an implant holding mechanism operatively associated with the housing member and the holder member, wherein the implant holding mechanism comprises an engagement member, a tube member and a knob, the tube member having a proximal end and a distal end with an opening extending between the proximal end and distal end of the tube member, wherein the engagement member is coupled to the distal end of the tube member and the knob of the implant holding mechanism is coupled to the proximal end of the tube member, wherein the distal end of the housing member is configured to receive the engagement member, and wherein the engagement member moves proximally relative to the distal end of the housing member when the knob of the implant holding mechanism is actuated, wherein the implant holding mechanism when actuated relative to the housing member pressingly engages and holds the implant for insertion between the two bones; and a length control mechanism for adjusting the overall length of the implant, the length control mechanism comprising a knob, a rod member, and a toothed member, the rod member comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the knob coupled to the proximal end of the rod member, and the toothed member fixed to the distal end of the rod member, the toothed member comprising a plurality of teeth extending from the distal end, the plurality of teeth projecting distally beyond the distal end of the housing member when the length control mechanism is inserted into the opening of the tube member.