Patella tracking method and apparatus for use in surgical navigation

A surgical navigation system for tracking movement of a patella as a leg is moved through a range of motion during a surgical procedure, comprising:

• a frame having a first surface spaced apart from and at least partially parallel to a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are bridged by a third surface at a first end of the frame, wherein the first, second and third surfaces together cooperate to define a substantially C-shaped space that is adapted to receive and at least partially encase the patella during the surgical procedure, and wherein at least one of the first, second and third surfaces is configured to directly contact the patella;
• and
• a reference array extending from one of the first and second surfaces of the frame, the reference array having first, second and third markers detectable by the surgical navigation system when exposed to a measurement field thereof;
• and
• wherein the surgical navigation system is configured to detect a path traveled by the patella by determining the relative location of the reference array as the leg is moved through a range of motion.