The Stifle Distractor is designed to separate the femoral component of the stifle from the tibia. Ideally the two joint surfaces should move away from each other in a parallel fashion so that the meniscus is exposed in its natural state and minimally distorted by the examination. One tip is placed in the intercondylar notch and the other on the cranial intercondylar area. Neither tip should involve articular cartilage. Test distractions (by squeezing the handles) will allow the surgeon to find the exact point at which a full distraction will expose the medial (usually) meniscus. The spinlock is then engaged to powerfully open up the stifle joint. The distractor is self-retaining leaving the surgeon with two free hands to examine the meniscus and deal with any pathology.When closed the tips overlap making the points atraumatic as they enter the joint. Additionally the overlapping feature reduces the profile of the tips as they enter the joint.