In situ patellar fixing system

A patellar fixing system for resecting a patella, the system including:

• a) a patella clamp mechanism, comprising:
• i) a tool guide comprising opposed first and second jaws connected to each other at a proximal guide junction and being adapted to releaseably hold a patella, wherein the first and second jaws comprise aligned and opposed first and second miter slots;
• and
• ii) a femur engaging component extending from an outer surface of the first jaw opposite the first miter slot, wherein the femur engaging component comprises a link portion extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal link end secured to the outer surface of the first jaw opposite the first miter slot to a distal hook end with an imaginary extension of the link portion along the longitudinal axis extending through the first miter slot of the first jaw;
• b) a femoral prosthesis device installable on a femur, the prosthesis device having an integral femur reference feature which is adapted to interface with the femur engaging component;
• and
• c) wherein the patella clamp mechanism may be oriented via the femur engaging component relative to the femur reference feature to dispose a patella in the tool guide in an appropriate orientation relative to the femur for resecting the patella along a resection plane defined by the first and second miter slots.

A patella clamp mechanism, comprising:

• a) a tool guide comprising opposed first and second jaws connected to each other at a proximal guide junction and being adapted to releaseably hold a patella, wherein the first and second jaws comprise aligned and opposed first and second miter slots;
• and
• b) a femur engaging component extending from an outer surface of the first jaw opposite the first miter slot, wherein the femur engaging component comprises a link portion extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal link end secured to the outer surface of the first jaw opposite the first miter slot to a distal blade with an imaginary extension of the link portion along the longitudinal axis extending through the first miter slot of the first jaw,
• c) wherein the distal blade of the link portion of the femur engaging component is detachably connectable to a reference feature on a femur to enable a patella to be held in the tool guide at an appropriate orientation relative to the femur to enable resection of the patella along a resection plane defined by the first and second miter slots.