Customized acetabular cup positioning guide and method of generating and employing such a guide

A method of planning and performing a surgical procedure on a target site of a patient, the method comprising:

• receiving medical images of the target site of the patient;
• determining an implant axis from the medical images in which to align a tool axis relative to the target site of the patient;
• aligning a central axis of a C-shaped coupler portion of an alignment guide relative to the patient bone such that the central axis is aligned with the target site, the C-shaped coupler portion configured to maintain the central axis in an aligned condition with the target site;
• inserting a shaft of a surgical tool within the C-shaped coupler portion;
• and
• distally advancing the surgical tool relative to the C-shaped coupler portion so as to contact the target site with the surgical tool.

A method of inserting an implant device into a target site of a patient during a surgical procedure, the method comprising:

• implanting a reference rod into a first bone at the target site;
• coupling the reference rod to a first coupler portion of an alignment guide;
• aligning a central axis of a second coupler portion of the alignment guide relative to a pre-operatively planned insertion axis, the first and second coupler portions of the alignment guide adjustably coupled together, the second coupler portion comprising a pair of jaws including opposed ends, an inner tool-engaging surface defined between the opposed ends of the pair of jaws, and an opened portion opposite the inner tool-engaging surface and positioned between the opposed ends of the pair of jaws, the central axis aligned centrally between the pair of jaws;
• inserting a shaft of a surgical tool in between the pair of jaws of the second coupler portion such that a shaft axis of the shaft is generally coaxial with the central axis of the second coupler portion;
• and
• distally advancing the surgical tool relative to the pair of jaws, wherein the pair of jaws maintains the shaft axis of the shaft of the surgical tool generally coaxially aligned with the central axis during the distal advancement.