Tool

• US 20050245936A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Finsbury (Development) Limited (WPP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Finsbury (Development) Limited (WPP PLC)
• Inventors: Tuke, Michael A., Scott, Gareth, Wozencroft, Robert Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/110,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20050245936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/15 Guides therefor arrangements for guiding straight saw blades in general B23D51/025
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/175 for preparing the femur for hip prosthesis insertion

Abstract

An alignment guide for use in femoral head surgery comprising: a support member; a cannulated rod supported by, and adjustable with respect to, the support arm, and two jaws, a superior jaw and a inferior jaw, each jaw having a proximal end connected to the support, and a distal end for clamping to the neck of the femur in use; at least one of said jaws being movable from a first open position to a second clamping position.

Claims

1. An alignment guide for use in femoral head surgery comprising:

a support member;

a cannulated rod supported by, and adjustable with respect to, the support arm, and

two jaws, a superior jaw and a inferior jaw, each jaw having a proximal end connected to the support, and a distal end for clamping to the neck of the femur in use;

at least one of said jaws being movable from a first open position to a second clamping position.

2. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein both jaws are movable from the first open position to the second clamping position.

3. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the jaws remain parallel as they move from the first open position to the second clamping position.

4. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the two jaws will each be movable by a screw means.

5. An alignment guide according to claim 4 wherein the two jaws are mutually connected at their distal ends via a screw member having two oppositely threaded ends.

6. An alignment guide according to claim 5 wherein the center portion of the screw member passes through a receiving portion of the support member.

7. An alignment guide according to claim 6 wherein the center portion of the screw is unthreaded.

8. An alignment guide according to claim 5 wherein the screw means includes a head to facilitate rotation of the screw means.

9. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the jaws are connected to the support member by pivot arms.

10. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the jaws are curved along at least a part of their length.

11. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the jaws are straight along at least part of their length.

12. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the two jaws are of different configurations.

13. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein biting elements are located on one or both jaws to improve the clamping of the jaw with the neck of the femur.

14. An alignment guide according to claim 13 wherein the biting element on the superior jaw is a T-bar located at or near the proximal end of the jaw.

15. An alignment guide according to claim 13 wherein the biting element on the inferior jaw will be a toothed block.

16. An alignment guide according to claim 15 wherein the block has a concave face between the teeth.

17. An alignment guide according to claim 15 wherein there are four teeth in a square configuration.

18. An alignment guide according to claim 17 wherein the teeth are about 15 mm apart.

19. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the cannulated rod is adjustable with respect to the support arm.

20. An alignment guide according to claim 19 wherein the rod is a sliding fit in the support arm.

21. An alignment guide according to claim 19 wherein the tool additionally includes means for locking the cannulated rod with respect to the support member.

22. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the alignment guide additionally includes a saw cutting guide.

23. An alignment guide according to claim 1 wherein the alignment guide additionally includes a flag holder.

24. A kit comprising the alignment guide of claim 1 and an elongate distal alignment guide which by referencing the back of the knee will reference the leg alignment axis.

25. A method of preparing the head of a femur for femoral head resurfacing wherein the method comprises:

exposing the head of a femur;

locating the alignment guide according to claim 1 on the neck of the femur; and

machining the head of the femur.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the method comprises:

exposing the head of the femur;

locating the alignment guide according to claim 1 on the neck of the femur;

inserting a drill through the collar an drilling a well into the head of the femur;

removing the drill;

removing the alignment guide;

removing the top of the head of the femur;

inserting a guide rod into the well;

locating a sleeve cutter on the guide rod and cutting the head; and

optionally chamfer cutting the head.