System for positioning a cutting guide in knee surgery

A method for positioning a cutting guide on a femur of a knee to make a cut along a distal end of the femur during a surgical procedure on the knee, the method comprising:

• attaching an adjustable femoral attachment member with a cut distal end of the femur;
• positioning a force sensor on a cut proximal end of a tibia of the knee;
• attaching the cutting guide to the femoral attachment member;
• adjusting the femoral attachment member, using a single adjustment member of the femoral attachment member, to elevate at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the femoral attachment member relative to the cut distal end of the femur to approximately balance medial and lateral forces displayed on a display coupled with the sensor, wherein adjusting the femoral attachment member changes a position of the cutting guide relative to the femur;
• and
• attaching the cutting guide to the femur.

A method for making a cut on a distal end of a femur during a surgical procedure on a knee, the method comprising:

• attaching an adjustable femoral attachment member with the distal end of the femur on which initial distal, anterior and posterior cuts have previously been made, while the knee is in flexion;
• positioning a force sensor coupled with an insert on a cut proximal end of a tibia of the knee;
• sliding a cutting guide onto the femoral attachment member until it contacts a cut anterior side of the femur;
• tightening the cutting guide onto the femoral attachment member;
• moving the knee into extension;
• adjusting the femoral attachment member, using a single adjustment member of the femoral attachment member, to balance medial and lateral forces displayed on a display coupled with the sensor, wherein adjusting the femoral attachment member changes a position of the cutting guide relative to the femur;
• attaching the cutting guide to the femur;
• moving the knee into flexion;
• removing the femoral attachment member from the femur;
• and
• making the cut on the distal end of the femur, using the cutting guide.

A device for positioning a cutting guide on a femur of a knee during a surgical procedure on the knee, the device comprising:

• a stationary femoral member that attaches to a cut distal end of the femur;
• an adjustable femoral member moveably attached to the stationary femoral member;
• a medial elevator for creating space between the stationary and adjustable femoral members closer to a medial edge of the device than a lateral edge of the device;
• a lateral elevator for creating space between the stationary and adjustable femoral members closer to the lateral edge of the device than the medial edge of the device;
• and
• a single adjustment member configured to adjust both the medial and lateral elevators.