Ligament balancer and drill guide

A ligament balancer for a knee, comprising:

• a first guide portion defining a first guide hole extending therethrough;
• and
• a second guide portion defining a second guide hole extending therethrough, the first and second guide portions being moveable with respect to each other along a movement axis of the balancer, the first and second guide holes being aligned along an alignment axis that is substantially parallel to the movement axis of the balancer;
• a mounting post extending between the first guide portion and the second guide portion along the movement axis and coupling the first and the second guide portions together;
• an intramedullary rod extending from the second guide portion, the intramedullary rod and the mounting post are on opposite sides of the alignment axis;
• wherein the balancer is adapted such that, in use, the movement axis is substantially parallel to an anterior/posterior axis of a distal femoral surface;
• and
• wherein the first and second guide holes extend in parallel, spaced apart planes.

A ligament balancer for a knee comprising:

• a first guide portion defining a first guide hole extending therethrough along a first guide hole axis;
• a second guide portion defining a second guide hole extending therethrough along a second guide hole axis that extends parallel to and spaced apart from the first guide hole axis, the first guide hole and the second guide hole are aligned along an alignment axis that extends transverse to both the first and the second guide hole axes;
• a mounting post extending between the first guide portion and the second guide portion along a movement axis and received within an opening defined by the first guide portion or the second guide portion to couple the first guide portion and the second guide portion together;
• and
• an intramedullary rod extending from the second guide portion, the intramedullary rod and the mounting post are spaced apart along an axis extending perpendicular to both the movement axis and the alignment axis;
• wherein the first and second guide portions are movable along the movement axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, the movement axis is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the alignment axis;
• wherein the first and second guide holes are adapted to guide first and second guide pins therethrough to spaced apart predetermined locations of a distal femur for supporting a drill guide at a predetermined position of the distal femur;
• wherein the intramedullary rod extends from the second guide portion along an axis that is spaced apart from, and perpendicular to, both the alignment axis and the movement axis;
• and
• wherein the alignment axis is between the intramedullary rod and the movement axis.

A ligament balancer for a knee, comprising:

• a first guide portion defining a first guide hole extending therethrough along a first guide hole axis;
• a second guide portion defining a second guide hole extending therethrough along a second guide hole axis that extends parallel to and spaced apart from the first guide hole axis, the first guide hole and the second guide hole are aligned along an alignment axis that extends transverse to both the first and the second guide hole axes;
• a mounting post connecting the first guide portion to the second guide portion such that the first and second guide portions are movable with respect to each other along a movement axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein movement in the first direction moves the first and the second guide portions apart, and movement in the second direction moves the first and the second guide portions together, and wherein the movement axis is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the alignment axis;
• and
• an intramedullary rod extending from the second guide portion along an axis that is spaced apart from, and perpendicular to, both the alignment axis and the movement axis, the intramedullary rod and the mounting post are on opposite sides of the alignment axis;
• wherein the first and second guide holes are adapted to guide first and second guide pins therethrough to spaced apart predetermined locations of a distal femur for supporting a drill guide at a predetermined position at the distal femur for drilling cutting block mounting holes in the distal femur during preparation of the distal femur to receive an implant.

A kit of parts including a ligament balancer for a knee and a knee drill guide, the ligament balancer comprising:

• a first guide portion defining a first guide hole extending therethrough along a first guide hole axis;
• a second guide portion defining a second guide hole extending therethrough along a second guide hole axis that extends parallel to and spaced apart from the first guide hole axis, the first guide hole and the second guide hole are aligned along an alignment axis that extends transverse to both the first and the second guide hole axes;
• a mounting post connecting the first guide portion to the second guide portion such that the first and second guide portions are movable with respect to each other along a movement axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein movement in the first direction moves the first and the second guide portions apart, and movement in the second direction moves the first and the second guide portions together, and wherein the movement axis is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the alignment axis;
• and
• an intramedullary rod extending from the second guide portion along an axis that is spaced apart from and perpendicular to both the alignment axis and the movement axis, the alignment axis is between the intramedullary rod and the movement axis;
• and the knee drill guide including a reference arm and a drilling arm, each of the reference arm and the drilling arm define at least two guide openings extending therethrough, each of the at least two guide openings configured to receive alignment pins therethrough that fit into blind bores that have been drilled into a femur through the first and the second guide holes.