CUT GUIDES

• US 20080140081A1
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zimmer Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stout, Bradley, Heavener, Jackson R.
• Application Number:
  US11/949,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/87
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/155 Cutting femur

Abstract

An orthopedic cut guide including a motor configured to actuate a cutter guide having a guide surface. In one exemplary embodiment, the cut guide may include a plurality of motors each configured to actuate the cutter guide. Advantageously, by utilizing a combination of motors, the cutter guide and, correspondingly, the guide surface may be actuated along multiple planes and/or in multiple directions to position the cut guide in the desired position to facilitate resection of a bone.

Claims

1. A cut guide for the resection of a bone, the cut guide comprising:

a housing;

a motor contained within said housing;

a bone mount connected to said housing;

at least one adjustment arm received by said housing and operably connected to said motor, whereby operation of said motor results in movement of said at least one adjustment arm; and

a cutter guide having a cut surface for guiding a cutting tool, said cutter guide attached to said at least one adjustment arm, whereby movement of said at least one adjustment arm results in corresponding movement of said cutter guide.

2. The cut guide of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises an aperture, said at least one adjustment member received within said aperture.

3. The cut guide of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustment arm further comprises a threaded pin.

4. The cut guide of claim 3, further comprising a worm gear contained within said housing and operably coupled to said motor and said adjustment arm, wherein movement of said worm gear results in corresponding movement of said adjustment arm.

5. The cut guide of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of adjustment arms attached to said cutter guide and a plurality of motors, each of said plurality of adjustment arms operably connected to a corresponding one of said plurality of motors, whereby the operation of said plurality of motors results in adjustment of at least one of the varus-valgus angle, the extension/flexion angle, and the resection depth of said cutter guide.

6. A cut guide for the resection of a bone, the cut guide comprising:

a housing;

a bone mount connected to said housing;

a cutter guide having a cut surface for guiding a cutting tool; and

means for automatically adjusting the orientation of the guide surface of the cutter guide relative to the housing in response to a user input.

7. The cut guide of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically adjusting the orientation of the guide surface of the cutter guide relative to the housing in response to a user input comprise a user interface and a motor control unit.

8. The cut guide control system of claim 7, wherein said user interface further comprises an input device and a display device.

9. The cut guide control system of claim 7, wherein said user interface unit comprises a computer.

10. The cut guide control system of claim 6, wherein said means for automatically adjusting the orientation of the guide surface of the cutter guide relative to the housing in response to a user input comprises a worm drive.

11. The cut guide control system of claim 10, wherein said worm drive comprises a worm and a worm gear.

12. A method of resecting a bone, comprising:

providing a cutter guide having a guide surface for guiding a cutting tool;

moveably connecting the cutter guide to a bone mount;

mounting the cutter guide to the bone with the bone mount;

providing a user input indicating a desired position of the cutter guide relative to the bone mount and, therefore, the bone; and

automatically actuating the cutter guide to the desired position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of automatically actuating the cutter guide to the desired position comprises energizing a motor to actuate the cutter guide to the desired position.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of automatically actuating the cutter guide to the desired position comprises energizing a plurality of motors to actuate the cutter guide to the desired position.