Patent ID: 8403940

Claim:
A single tool that allows for both distracting and compressing a vertebral body segment including first and second vertebral bodies to be joined together with a first fastener mounted to the first vertebral body, a second fastener mounted to the second vertebral body, and a connecting element coupled to the fasteners, the single tool comprising: a handle assembly, the handle assembly including a first handle portion and a second handle portion mounted for translation and pivoting relative to the first handle portion; a releasable locking mechanism operable between a first condition in which the first and second handle portions can translate and pivot relative to one another and a second condition in which the first and second handle portions are fixed translatably relative to one another and the first and second handle portions can pivot relative to one another; the handle assembly comprising: a first grip operably associated with the first handle portion; a second grip operably associated with the first handle portion; a third grip operably associated with the second handle portion; first engagement means associated with the first handle portion; and second engagement means associated with the second handle portion; the first and second grips being responsive to movement toward one another to move the first and second engagement means closer together; and the second and third grips being responsive to movement toward one another to move the first and second engagement means further apart.