Orthopedic spacer

A temporary knee replacement kit comprising:

• a plurality of tibial plates comprising a relatively larger tibial plate and a relatively smaller tibial plate, each tibial plate having an aperture therethrough;
• a plurality of tibial rods comprising a relatively longer tibial rod and a relatively shorter tibial rod, wherein the tibial rods each have an elongate portion configured to be inserted into a medullary cavity, an intermediate post portion, and an end portion defining a lower transverse channel;
• a plurality of femoral plates comprising a relatively larger femoral plate and a relatively smaller femoral plate, each femoral plate having an aperture therethrough;
• a plurality of femoral rods comprising a relatively longer femoral rod and a relatively shorter femoral rod, wherein the femoral rods each have an elongate portion configured to be inserted into a medullary cavity, an intermediate post portion, and an end portion defining an upper transverse channel;
• a plurality of locking spacers having different lengths, wherein each of the locking spacers comprise (i) a first slide that is configured to slidably engage the lower transverse channel of any of the plurality of tibial rods such that the first slide is restrained from moving within the lower transverse channel except along the lower transverse channel, (ii) a second slide that is shaped to slidably engage the upper transverse channel of any of the plurality of femoral rods such that the second slide is restrained from moving within the upper transverse channel except along the upper transverse channel, and (iii) an attachment plate;
• and
• means for releasably fixing the attachment plate to any selected one of the plurality of tibial rods and means for releasably fixing the attachment plate to any selected one of the plurality of femoral rods;
• wherein a temporary knee replacement assembly may be assembled using any one of the plurality of tibial plates, any one of the plurality of tibial rods, any one of the plurality of femoral plates, any one of the plurality of femoral rods, and any one of the plurality of locking spacers.

A method for temporarily immobilizing a knee portion of a leg having an infected artificial knee, the method comprising:

• removing the infected artificial knee from the associated femur and tibia;
• inserting an elongate portion of a femoral rod through an aperture in a femoral plate and into the femur medullary cavity such that the femoral plate is disposed on an end of the femur and an end portion of the femoral rod abuts the femoral plate, wherein the femoral rod end portion defines a first C-shaped channel;
• inserting an elongate portion of a tibial rod through an aperture in a tibial plate and into the tibia medullary cavity such that the tibial plate is disposed on an end of the tibia and an end portion of the tibial rod abuts the tibial plate, wherein the tibial rod end portion defines a second C-shaped channel;
• connecting the femoral rod to the tibial rod with a locking spacer having a first slide portion that engages the first channel and a second slide portion that engages the second channel;
• and
• installing a first fastener that fixes the locking spacer to the femoral rod, and installing a second fastener that fixes the locking spacer to the tibial rod.

A temporary knee replacement comprising:

• a tibial component comprising an elongate rod configured to be inserted into a tibia medullary cavity and having a proximal end portion defining a first channel, the tibial component further comprising an outwardly-extending plate portion disposed between the elongate rod and the proximal end portion, wherein the plate portion is configured to engage a proximal end of the tibia;
• a femoral component comprising an elongate rod configured to be inserted into a femur medullary cavity and having a distal end portion defining a second channel, the femoral component further comprising an outwardly-extending plate portion disposed between the elongate rod and the distal end portion, wherein the plate portion is configured to engage a distal end of the femur;
• a locking spacer comprising (i) a first slide portion that is shaped to slidably engage the first channel such that the first slide portion is restrained from moving within the first channel except along the first channel, (ii) a second slide portion that is shaped to slidably engage the second channel such that the second slide portion is restrained from moving within the second channel except slidably along the second channel, and (iii) an attachment plate portion;
• and
• a first fastener configured to fix the position of the first slide portion in the first channel and a second fastener configured to fix the position of the second slide portion in the second channel.