Patient-Specific Knee Alignment Guide And Associated Method

• US 20130197529A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: METZGER, Robert, BEREND, Keith R., BEREND, Michael E., LOMBARDI, Adolph V., PERRY, Lance D., SCHOENEFELD, Ryan J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,861,387 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/89
• 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 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/56 Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints; Devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/58 for osteosynthesis, e.g. bone plates, screws , setting implements or the like A61B17/14, A61B17/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/568 produced with shape and dimensions specific for an individual patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/108 Computer aided selection or customisation of medical implants or cutting guides
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations

Abstract

A method of preparing a knee joint for a prosthesis in a patient includes mating a patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface of a femoral alignment guide onto a corresponding three-dimensional femoral joint surface of the patient. The patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface is preoperatively configured from medical scans of the knee joint of the patient. First and second holes are drilled into an anterior portion of the femoral joint surface through corresponding first and second guiding apertures of the femoral alignment guide.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a knee joint for a prosthesis in a patient, the method comprising:

mating a patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface of a femoral alignment guide onto a corresponding three-dimensional femoral joint surface of the patient, the patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface preoperatively configured from medical scans of the knee joint of the patient;

drilling a first hole into an anterior portion of the femoral joint surface through a corresponding first guiding aperture of the femoral alignment guide; and

drilling a second hole into an anterior portion of the femoral joint surface through a corresponding second guiding aperture of the femoral alignment guide.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second guiding aperture is asymmetrically located relative to the first guiding aperture on the femoral alignment guide.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising mating a portion of the inner surface of the femoral alignment guide to articular cartilage covering the femoral joint surface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising mating a portion of the inner surface of the femoral alignment guide to a bone portion underlying articular cartilage of the femoral joint surface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting first and second guiding pins through the corresponding first and second guiding apertures and first and second holes.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the femoral alignment guide without removing the first and second guiding pins.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sliding the femoral alignment guide through open portions of corresponding perimeters of the first and second guiding apertures.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising supporting a cutting block on the first and second guiding pins.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising guiding a patient-specific femoral resection through the cutting block, the patient-specific resection determined by preoperative configuring the first and second guiding apertures on the femoral alignment guide to correspond to the patient-specific resection.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising mating a portion of the inner surface of the femoral alignment guide to at least one of articular cartilage and underlying bone of the femoral joint surface.

10. A method of preparing a knee joint for a prosthesis in a patient, the method comprising:

mating a patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface of a femoral alignment guide onto a corresponding three-dimensional femoral joint surface of a patient, the patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface preoperatively configured from medical scans of the knee joint of the patient;

drilling first and second holes into an anterior portion of the femoral joint surface through corresponding first and second guiding apertures of the femoral alignment guide, wherein the first and second guiding apertures are preoperative configured for locating a femoral resection of the patient according to the medical scans of the patient and a preoperative surgical plan for the patient; and

inserting first and second guiding pins through the corresponding first and second guiding apertures and the first and second holes.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising removing the femoral alignment guide without removing the first and second guiding pins.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sliding the femoral alignment guide through open portions of corresponding perimeters of the first and second guiding apertures.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising supporting a cutting block on the first and second guiding pins.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising guiding a patient-specific femoral resection through the cutting block.

16. A method of preparing a knee joint for a prosthesis in a patient, the method comprising:

mating a patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface of a tibial alignment guide onto a corresponding three-dimensional tibial joint surface of the patient, the patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface preoperatively configured from medical scans of the knee joint of the patient; and

wrapping a portion of the tibial alignment guide around an anterior-medial edge of the tibial joint surface.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

drilling a first tibial guiding hole into an anterior portion of the tibial joint surface through a first corresponding anterior aperture of the tibial alignment guide.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising drilling a second tibial guiding hole into an anterior portion of the tibial joint surface through a second corresponding anterior aperture of the tibial alignment guide.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising inserting first and second guiding pins through the corresponding first and second anterior apertures and into the corresponding first and second tibial guiding holes.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising removing the tibial alignment guide without removing the first and second guiding pins by sliding the tibial alignment guide through open portions of corresponding perimeters of the first and second anterior apertures of the tibial alignment guide.