Systems and methods for removing an implant

A system for removing an implant from bone, wherein the implant has a plurality of sides and a rectilinear cross-section, the system comprising:

• a guidepin;
• an osteotome having a V-shaped elongate body with a proximal end, a distal end, a sharp, and a V-shaped blade portion for cutting bone located at the distal end of the elongate body, wherein the angle of the V-shaped blade portion is the same as the angle between two sides of the implant;
• and
• an osteotome guide having an elongate body having a plurality of planar faces and a rectilinear cross-section that corresponds in shape to the rectilinear cross-section of the implant, a lumen extending through the elongate body of the osteotome for receiving the guidepin, and at least one channel for receiving the osteotome, wherein the at least one channel is V-shaped and is disposed along two adjacent planar faces.

A method for removing an implant having a rectilinear cross-section from a bone matrix, the method comprising:

• attaching a guidepin to the implant;
• disposing an osteotome guide over the guidepin;
• aligning the osteotome guide with the implant;
• inserting an osteotome into a channel in the osteotome guide;
• cutting the bone matrix away from the implant with the osteotome;
• and
• pulling on the guidepin to remove the implant from the bone matrix and leave a cavity in the bone matrix.

A method for removing an implant having a rectilinear cross-section from a bone matrix, the method comprising:

• attaching a guidepin to the implant;
• disposing over the guidepin an osteotome having a V-shaped elongate body with a proximal end, a distal end, a V-shaped blade portion for cutting bone located at the distal end of the elongate body, and a lumen extending through a portion of the elongate body for receiving the guidepin;
• aligning the V-shaped blade portion with two adjacent faces of the rectilinear implant;
• driving the V-shaped blade portion into the bone matrix to cut away the bone matrix from two adjacent faces of the rectilinear implant;
• and
• pulling on the guidepin to remove the implant from the bone matrix and leave a cavity in the bone matrix.