Methods and apparatus for pivotable guide surfaces for arthroplasty

Abstract

Cutting guides, cutting tools, and soft tissue management techniques permit the use of pivoting guide surfaces to facilitate in controlling the sweep or arc of a cutting tool used in connection with resection and arthroplasty procedures. In accordance with one embodiment, a guide structure is provided with one or more guide pivot aperture(s) and one or more guide pivot reference surface(s) that mate with a bushing assembly controlling a cutting tool. The bushing assembly possesses a bushing reference plan which mates with the pivot reference surface(s) of the guide structure and a bushing pivot pin which mates with the guide pivot aperture(s) of the guide structure. In one embodiment, a bushing guide lumen is operably coupled to the guide structure for articulated and / or axial guidance of the cutting tool.

Description

CLAIM TO PRIORITY [0001] The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,080, filed Mar. 8, 2004, entitled, “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PIVOTABLE GUIDE SURFACES FOR ARTHROPLASTY,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,078, filed Mar. 8, 2004, entitled, “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE RESECTION,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,096, filed Mar. 8, 2004, entitled, “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCED RETENTION OF PROSTHETIC IMPLANTS,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,631, filed Mar. 8, 2004, entitled, “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONFORMABLE PROSTHETIC IMPLANTS,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,307, filed Mar. 8, 2004, entitled, “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED CUTTING TOOLS FOR RESECTION,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,262, filed Mar. 8, 2004, entitled, “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVED DRILLING AND MILLING TOOLS FOR RESECTION,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 551,160, filed ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The present invention utilizes a number of embodiments of cutting guide technologies loosely or directly based on Profile Based Resection (PBR). Preferably, the present invention is utilized for creating planar and / or curvilinear resection surfaces on or in the proximal tibial and other bones for prosthetic implants. The overriding objects of PBR technologies are to provide for significantly improved reproducibility of implant fit and alignment in a manner largely independent of the individual surgeon's manual skills, while providing for outstanding ease of use, economic, safety, and work flow performance.

[0012] The present invention utilizes a number of embodiments of cutting tools to remove bony material to create cut surfaces for prosthetic implant attachment and fixation. The overriding objects of the embodiments are to provide the ability to perform resection in very small incisions, the creation of precise and accurate cut(s), and to provide for soft tissue protection characteristics and features preventing the tool from accidentally harming soft tissue. Specifically, many of the cutting tool embodiments disclosed are either incapable or highly resistant to damaging soft tissue, or are by means disclosed prevented from coming into contact with soft tissue in the first place.

[0014] It is an often repeated rule of thumb for orthopedic surgeons that a “Well placed, but poorly designed implant will perform well clinically, while a poorly placed, well designed implant will perform poorly clinically.” The present invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing implant placement errors in order to create more reproducible, consistently excellent clinical results in a manner that decreases risk to soft tissue, incision or exposure size requirements, manual skill requirements, and / or visualization of cutting action.

Problems solved by technology

Specifically, many of the cutting tool embodiments disclosed are either incapable or highly resistant to damaging soft tissue, or are by means disclosed prevented from coming into contact with soft tissue in the first place.

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