Apparatus and method for aiding visualization and/or placing a landmark during a surgical procedure

An apparatus for trialing a portion of an acetabular cup and concurrently placing at least one landmark at an acetabular surgical site, the apparatus comprising:

• a center post having proximal and distal post ends longitudinally separated by a post body, the post body defining a post axis coaxially therewith;
• a cup emulator representing only a rim portion of an acetabular cup, the cup emulator being carried on an outer surface of the center post at a predetermined longitudinal spacing from the distal post end, the cup emulator being coaxial with the post axis;
• and
• a pin guide removably attached to the cup emulator, the pin guide including an attachment structure attached to the cup emulator, a spacing arm connected to the attachment structure and extending laterally outward from the post axis, and a pin guiding bore connected to the spacing arm, spaced apart from the center post, and embodying at least one of a location and a trajectory for placement of a landmark with respect to the center post and the cup emulator.

A method of aiding visualization of a prosthetic implant and concurrently landmarking the surgical site, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a device comprising:
• a center post having proximal and distal post ends longitudinally separated by a post body, the post body defining a post axis coaxially therewith,
• an implant emulator embodying a reference feature of a prosthetic implant, the implant emulator being carried on an outer surface of the center post at a predetermined longitudinal spacing from the distal post end, and
• a guiding device removably attached to the implant emulator, the guiding device including an attachment structure attached to the implant emulator, a spacing arm connected to the attachment structure and extending laterally outward from the post axis, and a landmark guiding structure connected to the spacing arm, spaced apart from the center post, and embodying at least one of a location and a trajectory for placement of a landmark;
• placing the distal post end in contact with a patient tissue at the surgical site;
• adjusting a position of the implant emulator with respect to the patient tissue;
• placing the implant emulator in a desired visualization position with respect to the patient tissue;
• and
• with the implant emulator maintained in the desired visualization position, placing a landmark into at least one of a desired landmark location and a desired landmark trajectory with respect to the patient tissue with the aid of at least one of the post lumen and the landmark guiding structure.