Surgical instrument and method

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:

a first member including at least a portion of a first spheroidal joint and a first lock engageable with a first bone element fixed with a first vertebra;

a second member including at least a portion of a second spheroidal joint and a second lock engageable with a second bone element fixed with a second vertebra; and

a linkage being simultaneously engageable with the spheroidal joints to lock the second member relative to the first member,

wherein the linkage includes a lever and a first arcuate link connected with the first spheroidal joint and a second arcuate link connected with the second spheroidal joint, the lever being rotatable between a non-locking orientation and a locking orientation to lock the second member relative to the first member,

wherein the first lock includes a plate having an inner surface defining an opening configured for disposal of the first bone element, the inner surface being frictionally engageable with the first bone element to fix the first member with the first bone element,

wherein the first spheroidal joint includes a first spherical part and a first socket being movable relative to the first spherical part,

wherein the first socket is movable relative to the first spherical part in a non-locking orientation and fixable with the first spherical part in a locking orientation to lock the second member relative to the first member, and

wherein the surgical instrument includes a frame supporting the first socket such that the first socket is translatable relative to the frame between the non-locking orientation and the locking orientation.

2 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lever is rotatable such that the lever is disposed in an over center position to tension the links and fix the spheroidal joints.

3 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first lock includes a plurality of links connected with the plate to move the plate between a non-locking orientation and a locking orientation such that the inner surface is frictionally engaged with the first bone element to fix the first member with the first bone element.

4 . A surgical instrument comprising:

a first member including at least a portion of a first spheroidal joint and a first lock engageable with a first bone element fixed with a first vertebra;

a second member including at least a portion of a second spheroidal joint and a second lock engageable with a second bone element fixed with a second vertebra;

a linkage being simultaneously engageable with the spheroidal joints to lock the second member relative to the first member,

wherein the first spheroidal joint includes a first spherical part and a first socket being movable relative to the first spherical part,

wherein the first socket is movable relative to the first spherical part in a non-locking orientation and fixable with the first spherical part in a locking orientation to lock the second member relative to the first member,

wherein the surgical instrument includes a frame supporting the first socket such that the first socket is translatable relative to the frame between the non-locking orientation and the locking orientation, and

wherein the first lock includes a plate having an inner surface defining an opening configured for disposal of the first bone element, the inner surface being frictionally engageable with the first bone element to fix the first member with the first bone element.

5 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 4 , wherein the first lock includes a plurality of links connected with the plate to move the plate between a non-locking orientation and a locking orientation such that the inner surface is frictionally engaged with the first bone element to fix the first member with the first bone element.

6 . A surgical instrument comprising:

a first member including a spherical part of a first spheroidal joint;

a second member including a spherical part of a second spheroidal joint;

a linkage comprising a frame, a first plate and a second plate;

a first end cap coupled to a first end of the frame; and

a second end cap coupled to a second end of the frame,

wherein a surface of first end cap and a surface of the first plate define a socket of the first spheroidal joint,

wherein a surface of the second end cap and a surface of the second plate define a socket of the second spheroidal joint,

wherein the spherical part of the first spheroidal joint is disposed in the socket of the first spheroidal joint and the spherical part of the second spheroidal joint is disposed in the socket of the second spheroidal joint,

wherein the plates are movable relative to the end caps to move the plates between a non-locking orientation in which the members are movable relative to the end caps and a locking orientation in which the spherical parts are in fixation with the surfaces of the end caps to fix the members relative to the end caps,

wherein the linkage includes a lever that is rotatable relative to the frame and the end caps to move the plates between the non-locking orientation and the locking orientation, and

wherein the lever is positioned between the sockets.

7 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:

a first link coupled to a first end of the lever and the first plate; and

a second link coupled to a second end of the lever and the second plate.

8 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 6 , wherein the frame includes a first rail and a second rail, the lever being positioned between the rails.

9 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 6 , wherein the frame includes a first rail and a second rail, the plates being positioned between the rails.

10 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 9 , wherein the rails are permanently fixed relative to one another.

11 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 6 , wherein the spherical parts are not in fixation with the surfaces of the end caps when the plates are in the non-locking orientation.

12 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first member includes a first lock engageable with a first bone element fixed with a first vertebra and the second member includes a second lock engageable with a second bone element fixed with a second vertebra.

13 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first lock includes a first arm that defines a first channel, the first lock including a first part and a first linkage that is connected to the first part, the first linkage being moveable relative to the first arm between a first orientation in which a passageway of the first part is coaxial with the first channel and a second orientation in which the passageway is offset from the first channel.

14 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 13 , wherein the second lock includes a second arm that defines a second channel, the second lock including a second part and a second linkage that is connected to the second part, the second linkage being moveable relative to the second arm between a first orientation in which a passageway of the second part is coaxial with the second channel and a second orientation in which the passageway of the second part is offset from the second channel.

15 . A surgical instrument as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first part is positioned between ends of the first channel when the first linkage is in the first orientation and the second orientation.