Computer-assisted surgical system

A method for planning unicompartmental knee arthroplasty surgery with the goals of improving the accuracy of the surgery and reducing the risks associated with surgery, comprising the steps of:

• gathering image data of a femur and a tibia using a radiant energy means for gathering image data;
• storing the image data of the femur and tibia in a memory means for storing image data;
• reading the stored image data into a computer interfaced to the memory means, the computer having a visual display means for visually displaying images generated in at least one process step;
• generating a three-dimensional computer model of the femur and tibia using a modeling means for constructing three-dimensional computer models from the image data;
• identifying a hip center on the three-dimensional computer model;
• identifying a knee center on the three-dimensional computer model;
• identifying an ankle center on the three-dimensional computer model;
• defining the line from the hip;
• center to the knee center on the three-dimensional computer model;
• defining the line from the knee center to the ankle center on the three-dimensional computer model;
• determining a desired varus/valgus correction on the three-dimensional computer model;
• determining the size and pose of both a femoral prosthetic component and a tibial prosthetic component to accomplish the desired correction on the three-dimensional computer model;
• and,
• determining the size and pose characteristics of resections to be performed on the femur and the tibia as shown in the computer model.