System and method for weight bearing simulation during foot surgery

A system to provide weight bearing simulation, the system comprising:

• a radiolucent, substantially planar plate having a superior surface, an inferior surface, a heel locator, and a through-slot located between the heel locator and a midfoot region of the plate, an angled webbing guide mounted to the inferior surface of the plate under the through-slot, a strap routed from the superior surface through the through-slot to the inferior surface and around the angled webbing guide and back to the superior surface, the strap configured to hold the plate to a patient's foot across the midfoot region, a posterior-medial heel block attachable to the plate adjacent the heel locator and including heel support pegs to which an end of the strap is attachable, and a lateral heel block attachable to the plate opposite the posterior-medial heel block and including a body and a knob configured to tighten the lateral heel block against a calcaneus of the patient's foot to clamp the heel of the patient's foot between the posterior-medial heel block and the lateral heel block;
• a clamp configured to secure the plate by compressing the plate between a base and an opposing arm with a screw driven through the arm toward the base to generate clamping force;
• and
• an adjuster attached to the arm of the clamp and including a body, a lead screw oriented perpendicular to a weight-bearing plane defined by the plate to provide linear adjustment in a superior-inferior direction, and a guide interface coupled to the body, the guide interface being configured to mount a surgical guide and to be tightened or loosened relative to the body with a second screw;
• wherein the surgical guide is mountable to the guide interface via posts on the guide interface receivable in corresponding holes of the surgical guide and a locking tab operable to retain the surgical guide on the posts, wherein the clamp and adjuster are configured to position the surgical guide relative to the patient's foot in contact with the plate while the plate is secured by the clamp to simulate weight bearing during foot surgery.

A method of performing foot surgery comprising:

• providing a radiolucent, substantially planar plate having a superior surface and an inferior surface, the plate including a heel locator and a midfoot region and defining a through-slot located between the heel locator and the midfoot region;
• an angled webbing guide mounted to the inferior surface of the plate under the through-slot;
• a strap routed from the superior surface through the through-slot to the inferior surface and around the angled webbing guide and back to the superior surface, the strap configured to hold the plate to a patient's foot across the midfoot region;
• a posterior-medial heel block attachable to the plate adjacent the heel locator and including heel support pegs to which an end of the strap is attachable;
• and
• a lateral heel block attachable to the plate opposite the posterior-medial heel block and including a body and a knob configured to tighten the lateral heel block against a calcaneus of the patient's foot to clamp the heel of the patient's foot between the posterior-medial heel block and the lateral heel block;
• and
• securing the patient's foot to the radiolucent, substantially planar plate.