Reamer device with integrated depth gauging

1 . A method for performing reaming of an intramedullary canal of a patient's bone during a surgical procedure to implant a surgical component, the method comprising:

identifying a reaming starting point on a distal end of the bone;

reaming the bone using a reamer device, the reamer device comprising:

a cutting head that includes a plurality of helical cutting flutes arranged to correspond with a configuration of the surgical component; and

one or more features on at least one of the helical cutting flutes, the one or more features comprising a groove, notch, indentation, through-hole, or combination thereof, and each of the one or more features forming a depression at an edge of an associated helical cutting flute and arranged at one or more radial distances from a longitudinal axis of the cutting head; and

visually confirming a position of the one or more features within the bone, wherein the position of the one or more features identifies an appropriate depth for optimal placement of one or more fixation members.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fixation members is selected from one or more lateral screws, syndesmotic implants, or other fixation implants.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the visually confirming comprises performing imaging to identify a location of at least one feature.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising performing adjustment to optimize alignment of an intramedullary device based on the image.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting an intermedullary device into the reamed bone, the intermedullary device having one or more vias configured to receive the one or more fixation members.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising inserting the one or more fixation members aligned with a via of the one or more vias.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more fixation members is selected from one or more lateral screws, syndesmotic implants, or other fixation implants.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more fixation members is selected from one or more lateral screws, syndesmotic implants, or other fixation implants.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one feature is arranged at a distance d from a distal end of the cutting edge, wherein d is between 1 mm and 100 mm.

10 . A method for performing drilling of an intramedullary canal of a patient's bone during a surgical procedure to implant a surgical component, the method comprising:

identifying a drilling starting point on a distal end of the bone;

drilling the bone using a drilling device, the drilling device comprising:

a cutting head that includes a plurality of helical cutting flutes arranged to correspond with a configuration of the surgical component; and

one or more features on at least one of the helical cutting flutes, the one or more features comprising a groove, notch, indentation, through-hole, or combination thereof, and each of the one or more features forming a depression at an edge of an associated helical cutting flute, and arranged at one or more radial distances from a longitudinal axis of the cutting head; and

visually confirming a position of the one or more features within the bone, wherein the position of the one or more features identifies an appropriate depth for optimal placement of one or more fixation members.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more fixation members is selected from one or more lateral screws, syndesmotic implants, or other fixation implants.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the visually confirming comprises performing imaging to identify a location of at least one feature.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising performing adjustment to optimize alignment of an intramedullary device based on the image.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising inserting an intermedullary device into of the drilled bone, the intermedullary device having one or more vias configured to receive the one or more fixation members.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising inserting the one or more fixation members aligned with a via of the one or more vias.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more fixation members is selected from one or more lateral screws, syndesmotic implants, or other fixation implants.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more fixation members is selected from one or more lateral screws, syndesmotic implants, or other fixation implants.

18 . A method for preparing an intramedullary canal of a patient's bone during a surgical procedure to implant a surgical component, the method comprising:

identifying a starting point on a distal end of the bone;

preparing the bone using a device, the preparing comprising one or more of reaming and drilling, the device comprising:

a cutting head that includes a plurality of helical cutting flutes arranged to correspond with a configuration of the surgical component; and

one or more features formed into at least one of the helical cutting flutes, the one or more features comprising a groove, notch, indentation, through-hole, or combination thereof, and each of the one or more features forming a depression at an edge of an associated helical cutting flute and arranged at one or more radial distances from a longitudinal axis of the cutting head, wherein the cutting head and the one or more features are positioned and dimensioned such that, when the device is inserted into the intramedullary canal, the depression of the one or more features is structurally aligned with a fixation hole of the surgical component; and

visually confirming a position of the one or more features within the bone.