Apparatus for guiding a resection of a proximal tibia

• US 6,673,077 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Katz
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Katz
• Inventors: Katz, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W.
• Application Number:
  US09/520,809
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 606/87, 606/88, 606/102, 623/20.32, 623/20.33, 623/20.34
• US Class Current: 606/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/154 for preparing bone for knee prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/155 Cutting femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/157 Cutting tibia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1767 for the patella
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length

Abstract

A femoral resection apparatus and method is provided for resecting at least one of the posterior, anterior, and distal surfaces of the medial and lateral condyles of a femur to provide seating surface to receive a femoral prosthesis. The apparatus includes a measuring system to determine a location of the posterior, anterior, and distal resections to be made. The apparatus additionally includes a graduated scale to measure a distance between the anterior and posterior surfaces of the femoral condyles, including markings representing different prosthesis sizes and markings in between the size markings to account for the difference between the measured distance and the nearest prosthesis size. The femoral resection apparatus and method may be used in combination with a tibial resection apparatus and method for resecting a tibial plateau to provide a seating surface to receive a corresponding tibial prosthesis. The tibial apparatus includes a measurement scale to indicate a proper resection location. Additionally, a patellar reamer apparatus and method may be used to fit a patella with a patellar insert. The patellar reamer apparatus also includes a measurement scales to indicate a proper reaming depth which corresponds to a thickness of the patellar insert.

Claims

1. An apparatus for resecting the tibial plateau of a tibia, the apparatus comprising:

an alignment rod to be mounted to the tibia;

a tibial resection guide slidably mounted on the rod;

at least one stylus rotatable in the resection guide for allowing the tibial resection guide to be slidable thereon and for contacting a highest or most intact side of the medial or lateral side of the tibial plateau, the at least one stylus including a scale having markings to determine the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau and to indicate a proper tibial resection such that when the at least one stylus contacts the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau, the tibial resection guide is slidable on the rod and stylus to thereby coincide with the marking corresponding to the highest or most intact side;

wherein the at least one stylus includes a foot section angled to extend further posterially than the alignment rod.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one stylus includes two styluses spaced about two inches apart, one of the styluses adapted to correspond to the medial side of the tibial plateau and the other stylus corresponding to the lateral side of the tibial plateau, each of the styluses including the scale to indicate the proper tibial resection.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tibial resection guide includes a slot for receiving a blade to resect the tibia and stops located at opposite ends of the slot to protect the patellar tendon and the medial and lateral ligaments.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tibial resection guide includes a slot constructed such that a resultant resection of the tibial plateau in the medio-lateral plane is substantially horizontal in the mediolateral plane when a saw blade is received in the slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the proper tibial resection substantially corresponds to a thickness of a tibial prosthesis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tibial resection guide includes a slot constructed such that a resultant resection of the tibial plateau in the mediolateral plane is substantially perpendicular to a mechanical axis of a leg which includes the tibia being resected when a saw blade is received in the slot.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alignment rod is mountable to the tibia by being insertable into the tibia.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alignment rod is mountable to the tibia by being supportable externally on the tibia.

9. An apparatus for resecting the tibial plateau of a tibia, the apparatus comprising:

an alignment rod to be mounted to the tibia;

a tibial resection guide slidably mounted on the rod;

at least one stylus rotatable in the resection guide for allowing the tibial resection guide to be slidable thereon and for contacting a highest or most intact side of the medial or lateral side of the tibial plateau, the at least one stylus including a scale having markings to determine the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau and to indicate a proper tibial resection such that when the at least one stylus contacts the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau, the tibial resection guide is slidable on the rod and stylus to thereby coincide with the marking corresponding to the highest or most intact side and, two styluses spaced about two inches apart, one of the styluses adapted to correspond to the medial side of the tibial plateau, and the other stylus corresponding to the lateral side of the tibial plateau, each of the styluses including the scale to indicate the proper tibial resection, wherein each stylus includes a foot extension angled to extend about 3-4 mm further posterially than the rod.

10. An apparatus for resecting the tibial plateau of a tibia, the apparatus comprising:

an alignment rod to be mounted to the tibia;

a tibial resection guide slidably mounted on the rod;

at least one stylus rotatable in the resection guide for allowing the tibial resection guide to be slidable thereon and for contacting a highest or most intact side of the medial or lateral side of the tibial plateau, the at least one stylus including a scale having markings to determine the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau and to indicate a proper tibial resection such that when the at least one stylus contacts the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau, the tibial resection guide is slidable on the rod and stylus to thereby coincide with the marking corresponding to the highest or most intact side, wherein the tibial resection guide includes a bore for receiving the rod, the bore extending through the tibial resection guide so that the tibial resection guide is tilted down firm the anterior side to the posterior side of the tibia.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tibial resection guide is adapted to be tilted down from the anterior side to the posterior side of the tibia at an angle of about 3°

.

12. An apparatus for resecting the tibial plateau of a tibia, the apparatus comprising:

an alignment rod to be mounted to the tibia;

a tibial resection guide slidably mounted on the rod;

at least one stylus rotatable in the resection guide for allowing the tibial resection guide to be slidable thereon and for contacting a highest or most intact side of the medial or lateral side of the tibial plateau, the at least one stylus including a scale having markings to determine the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau and to indicate a proper tibial resection such that when the at least one stylus contacts the highest or most intact side of the tibial plateau, the tibial resection guide is slidable on the rod and stylus to thereby coincide with the marking corresponding to the highest or most intact side, wherein a slot is constructed such that the tibia is adapted to be resected on a 3°

valgus medio-lateral tilt relative to the tibial plateau when a saw blade is received in the slot.