Claims
- 1. An apparatus for guiding the resection of a bone during arthroplasty, comprising:
a) anchoring means for anchoring the apparatus to the bone; b) a resection guide coupled to said anchoring means; and c) alignment means for locating the resection guide relative to the anchoring means, said alignment means providing three degrees of freedom and being infinitely adjustable.
- 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said anchoring means is a pin.
- 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said anchoring means has an angled body and a side slot adapted to receive a pin.
- 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said three degrees of freedom include two rotations and one translation.
- 5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said three degrees of freedom include flexion-extension, varus-valgus, and proximal-distal.
- 6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said resection guide is a guiding slot.
- 7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resection guide includes means for attaching a computer navigation tracker.
- 8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resection guide includes a rotatable pin guide.
- 9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resection guide includes means for attaching a manual alignment device.
- 10. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a manual alignment device removably coupled to the resection guide.
- 11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said manual alignment device includes an alignment handle and an EM rod coupled to said handle.
- 12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said alignment handle has two ends, one of which is adapted to rest against the distal femur and the other of which is adapted to rest against the proximal tibia.
- 13. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling it to a computer navigation tracker.
- 14. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said alignment means further comprises means for selectively positioning and locking a selected alignment means position with said three degrees of freedom.
- 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said means for selectively positioning and locking includes a plurality of cam locks.
- 16. An apparatus for guiding the resection of a bone during arthroplasty, comprising:
a) anchoring means for anchoring the apparatus to the bone; b) a resection guide coupled to said anchoring means; and c) alignment means for locating the resection guide relative to the anchoring means, said alignment means providing three degrees of freedom, wherein said anchoring means and said alignment means need not be removed from the bone prior to resection.
- 17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said anchoring means is a pin.
- 18. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said anchoring means has an angled body and a side slot adapted to receive a pin.
- 19. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said three degrees of freedom include two rotations and one translation.
- 20. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said three degrees of freedom include flexion-extension, varus-valgus, and proximal-distal.
- 21. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said resection guide is a guiding slot.
- 22. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said resection guide includes means for attaching a computer navigation tracker.
- 23. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said resection guide includes a rotatable pin guide.
- 24. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said resection guide includes means for attaching a manual alignment device.
- 25. An apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a manual alignment device removably coupled to the resection guide.
- 26. An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said manual alignment device includes an alignment handle and an EM rod coupled to said handle.
- 27. An apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said alignment handle has two ends, one of which is adapted to rest against the distal femur and the other of which is adapted to rest against the proximal tibia.
- 28. An apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling it to a computer navigation tracker.
- 29. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said alignment means further comprises means for selectively positioning and locking a selected alignment means position with said three degrees of freedom.
- 30. An apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said means for selectively positioning and locking includes a plurality of cam locks.
- 31. An apparatus for guiding the resection of a bone during arthroplasty, comprising:
a) anchoring means for anchoring the apparatus to the bone; b) a resection guide coupled to said anchoring means; and c) alignment means for locating the resection guide relative to the anchoring means, said alignment means providing three degrees of freedom, wherein said apparatus is suitable for use in resecting femurs and tibias.
- 32. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said anchoring means is a pin.
- 33. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said anchoring means has an angled body and a side slot adapted to receive a pin.
- 34. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said three degrees of freedom include two rotations and one translation.
- 35. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said three degrees of freedom include flexion-extension, varus-valgus, and proximal-distal.
- 36. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said resection guide is a guiding slot.
- 37. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said resection guide includes means for attaching a computer navigation tracker.
- 38. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said resection guide includes a rotatable pin guide.
- 39. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said resection guide includes means for attaching a manual alignment device.
- 40. An apparatus according to claim 31 further comprising a manual alignment device removably coupled to the resection guide.
- 41. An apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said manual alignment device includes an alignment handle and an EM rod coupled to said handle.
- 42. An apparatus according to claim 41 wherein said alignment handle has two ends, one of which is adapted to rest against the distal femur and the other of which is adapted to rest against the proximal tibia.
- 43. An apparatus according to claim 31 further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling it to a computer navigation tracker.
- 44. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said alignment means further comprises means for selectively positioning and locking a selected alignment means position with said three degrees of freedom.
- 45. An apparatus as set forth in claim 44 wherein said means for selectively positioning and locking includes a plurality of cam locks.
PRIOR PROVISIONAL APPLICATION
[0001] This application relates to and claims priority from a pending provisional application Serial Number ______ entitled “Methods, Systems and Tools Used In Performing Femoral and Tibial Resection In Knee Surgery”, filed Feb. 28, 2001.