Bone setting apparatus and method

A bone setting apparatus comprising a first bone clamp assembly for gripping a first piece of bone, a second bone clamp assembly for gripping a second piece of bone, and a connection apparatus for connecting said first bone clamp assembly to said second bone clamp assembly,

• wherein said first bone clamp assembly comprises:
• a first clamp for gripping the first piece of bone, said first clamp comprising a first bone contact surface and a second bone contact surface, wherein at least one of the first clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface is movable towards and away from the other of the first clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface along a first axis, whereby said first clamp may apply a first gripping force to the first piece of bone;
• and
• a second clamp for gripping the first piece of bone, said second clamp comprising a first bone contact surface and a second bone contact surface, wherein at least one of the second clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface is movable towards and away from the other of the second clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface along a second axis, whereby said second clamp may apply a second gripping force to the first piece of bone;
• with said first clamping force and said second clamping force being applied to the first piece of bone in close proximity to one another so as to effectively act on the same region of the first piece of bone;
• and
• further wherein said second bone clamp assembly comprises:
• a third clamp for gripping the second piece of bone, said third clamp comprising a first bone contact surface and a second bone contact surface, wherein at least one of the third clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface is movable towards and away from the other of the third clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface along a third axis, whereby said third clamp may apply a third gripping force to the second piece of bone;
• and
• a fourth clamp for gripping the second piece of bone, said fourth clamp comprising a first bone contact surface and a second bone contact surface, wherein at least one of the fourth clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface is movable towards and away from the other of the second clamp's first bone contact surface and second bone contact surface along a fourth axis, whereby said fourth clamp may apply a fourth gripping force to the second piece of bone;
• with said third clamping force and said fourth clamping force being applied to the second piece of bone in close proximity to one another so as to effectively act on the same region of the second piece of bone.

A method for setting first and second pieces of bone relative to one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first bone clamp assembly comprising first, second and third surfaces, and providing a second bone clamp assembly comprising fourth, fifth and sixth surfaces, and a connector connecting said first bone clamp assembly to said second bone clamp assembly;
• moving said first surface towards the second surface so as to grip the first piece of bone therebetween, and moving the fourth surface towards the fifth surface so as to grip the second piece of bone therebetween, whereby to urge the first and second pieces of bone into proper alignment;
• moving the third surface toward the second surface so as to grip the first piece of bone therebetween, and moving the sixth surface toward the fifth surface so as to grip the second piece of bone therebetween;
• moving the first surface away from the second surface, and moving the fourth surface away from the fifth surface;
• securing a prosthesis to the first and second pieces of bone;
• and
• moving the third surface away from the second surface, whereby to release first bone clamp assembly from the first piece of bone, and moving the sixth surface away from the fifth surface, whereby to release the second bone clamp assembly from the second piece of bone.