Intramedullary guidance systems and methods for installing ankle replacement prostheses
OwnerMark A. Reileyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Intramedullary guidance systems and methods introduce some and/or all surgical tools and ankle prostheses components through the tibia, using minimal invasive exposure in the tibia tubercle, or retrograde through the talus, using minimal invasive exposure in planar surface of the calcaneus. The systems and methods align the talus and tibia for the installation of one or more ankle prostheses components, and also maintain that alignment during the installation using intramedullary guidance, e.g., by use of a guide pin to form an intramedullar passage along which surgical tools and prosthetic components are guided.
Claims18
An intramedullary guidance system for directing a cutting instrument to cut a tibial bone region or a talar bone region, or both, at an ankle joint, the system comprising
- a guide pin for creating an intramedullary passage in the tibial and the talar bone regions adjacent the ankle joint, and
- a cutting guide for a cutting instrument sized to fit in the ankle joint between the tibial and talar bone regions, the cutting guide including an intramedullary locating element that fits within the intramedullary passage formed by the guide pin to align the cutting guide in a desired orientation with the tibial and talar bone regions.
A method for directing a cutting instrument to cut a tibial bone region, or a talar bone region, or both at an ankle joint comprising the steps of
- advancing a guide pin to create an intramedullary passage in the tibial and talar bone regions adjacent the ankle joint, and
- locating a cutting guide for the cutting instrument in the ankle joint between the tibial and talar bone regions, the cutting guide including an intramedullary locating element that fits within the intramedullary passage formed by the guide pin to align the cutting guide in a desired orientation with the talar and tibial bone regions.
A method for directing a cutting instrument to cut a tibial bone region, or a talar bone region, or both at an ankle joint comprising the steps of
- locating a cutting guide in the ankle joint between the tibial bone region and the talar bone region, and
- aligning the cutting guide in a desired orientation with the talar and tibial bone regions using an intramedullary locating element on the cutting guide that fits within an intramedullary passage formed by an intramedullary guide pin, and
- enlarging the intradmedullary passage by advancing a reaming device or a drill device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.