Patent ID: 7896884

Claim:
A surgical instrument for insertion of an interbody fusion implant between adjacent vertebral bodies, comprising: a frame member having a proximal end and a distal end; a first arm and a second arm coupled to the distal end of the frame member, each arm having a distal end region and a proximal end region, the proximal end region of at least one arm being pivotably coupled to the frame member, and the distal end region of each arm defining a distractor plate; said distractor plate of each arm being configured to be positioned in direct contact with a vertebral body; a handle coupled to the proximal end of the frame member; a wedge positioned between said first and second arms, said wedge being configured to translate the interbody fusion implant along an axis between said proximal end region and said distal end region of said arms while adjusting a distance between said distractor plates of said arms, wherein the interbody fusion implant is releasably coupled to said wedge; a rack coupled to said wedge and being slideably positioned at least partially through said frame member and said handle, the rack comprising a first side with a first set of teeth and a second side with a second set of teeth; a pinion positioned at least partially through said frame member for engaging said first set of teeth, wherein rotation of said pinion translates said rack and said wedge along said axis when the pinion engages the first set of teeth; and a catch for selective engagement with the second set of teeth, the second set of teeth shaped so that when engaged with the catch, the second set of teeth allows translation of the rack relative to the frame member in one direction when the pinion is rotated in a first direction, but Prevents translation of the rack relative to the frame member in the opposite direction when the pinion is rotated in a second direction, wherein translation of said wedge from said proximal end region of said arms toward said distal end region of said arms translates the interbody fusion implant toward the adjacent vertebrae while distracting the adjacent vertebral bodies for placement of the interbody fusion implant between the distracted adjacent vertebrae.