Patient-specific alignment guide for multiple incisions
AssigneeBiomet Manufacturing, LLC
InventorsRyan J. Schoenefeld, Robert Metzger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A patient-specific alignment guide for an orthopedic implant. The alignment guide can include a body having first and second opposing surfaces, the second surface adapted for positioning over a skin surface, and at least one extension extending from the second surface body. The extension has a distal end defining a patient-specific end surface that is mateable in form-fitting manner with a subcutaneous portion of the patient's anatomy, and at least one guiding passage extending between the first surface of the body and the distal end of the extension.
Claims6
A method for multiple incision orthopedic surgery comprising:
- making a plurality of incisions through the skin of the patient to a plurality of corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portions;
- supporting an undersurface of a body of an alignment guide on an outer skin surface of the patient, the alignment guide having a plurality of extensions extending from the undersurface of the alignment guide, wherein at least one extension has a patient-specific distal end surface preoperatively configured from a three-dimensional image of the patient's anatomy to nestingly mate and conform in form-fitting manner with a corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portion;
- percutaneously passing each extension through the corresponding incision;
- contacting the patient-specific distal end surface of the at least one extension to the corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portion;
- inserting a tool through a guiding passage extending from the body and along the at least one extension to the distal end surface of the at least one extension;
- and
- preparing the corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portion for the surgical procedure using the tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.