Method and apparatus for minimally invasive knee arthroplasty

A patellar cutting guide for use in resecting a posterior portion of a patella through an incision generally located along the medial or lateral mid-line of a knee, comprising:

• a stop for location posterior to a posterior portion of said patella;
• a cutting guide, said cutting guide having a generally longitudinal slot therein for accepting a cutting implement for resecting a portion of said patella;
• a clamp having at least one spike extending therefrom in a direction of said stop, said spike adapted to penetrate the skin and engage an anterior portion of said patella;
• means for moving said clamp relative to said stop, whereby said clamp and stop may be moved into relative positions in which they secure said patella in a fixed position while said cutting implement is utilized to resect said patella.

A method of resecting the posterior of a patella of a knee for acceptance of a patellar knee replacement component without dissecting the overlying skin, sub-cutaneous tissue and the bursa and without everting the patella comprising:

• positioning a first stop adjacent said posterior of said patella;
• engaging a second stop with an anterior portion of said patella;
• positioning a cutting guide exterior to said knee;
• and
• passing a cutting implement through said cutting guide and a medially or laterally located incision in said knee into engagement with said patella;
• and
• removing a portion of said posterior of said patella with said cutting implement.