Systems used in performing femoral and tibial resection in knee surgery

1. A system for guiding the resection of a patient's bone during arthroplasty, said system comprising a resection guide adapted for guiding a cutting device relative to a patient's bone during arthroplasty, an alignment guide coupled to said resection guide and adapted for attachment to the patient's bone, said alignment guide including a first assembly for positioning said resection guide along a translational path, a second assembly for positioning said resection guide along a first rotational path, and a third assembly for positioning said resection guide along a second rotational path, and a computer navigation system coupled to said resection guide, the system further including an anchoring pin adapted to secure said alignment guide to a patient's bone.

2. A system of claim 1 , wherein said first and second rotational paths are about different axes.

3. A system of claim 2 , wherein said axes are transverse to each other.

4. A system of claim 1 , wherein said first, second and third assemblies each include a locking device for securing said resection guide along said translational path and said first and second rotational paths.

5. A system of claim 1 , further including a computer navigation tracker coupled to said resection guide.

6. A system of claim 1 , further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling said plane probe to a computer navigation tracker.

7. A system for guiding the resection of a patient's bone during arthroplasty, said system comprising a resection guide adapted for guiding a cutting device relative to a patient's bone during arthroplasty, an alignment guide coupled to said resection guide and adapted for attachment to the patient's bone, said alignment guide including a first assembly for positioning said resection guide along a translational path and a second assembly for positioning said resection guide along a first rotational path and a second rotational path, and a computer navigation system coupled to said resection guide, the system further including an anchoring pin adapted to secure said alignment guide to a patient's bone.

8. A system of claim 7 , wherein said first and second rotational paths are about different axes.

9. A system of claim 8 , wherein said axes are transverse to each other.

10. A system of claim 7 , wherein said first and second assemblies each include a locking device for securing said resection guide along said translational path and said first and second rotational paths.

11. A system of claim 7 , further including a computer navigation tracker coupled to said resection guide.

12. A system according to claim 7 , further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling said plane probe to a computer navigation tracker.

13. A system for guiding the resection of a patient's bone during arthroplasty, said system comprising a resection guide adapted for guiding a cutting device relative to a patient's bone during arthroplasty, an alignment guide coupled to said resection guide and adapted for attachment to the patient's bone, said alignment guide including a first assembly for positioning said resection guide along a translational path and a second assembly for positioning said resection guide along a first rotational path and along a second rotational path, and a computer navigation system coupled to said resection guide, the system further including an anchoring pin adapted to secure said alignment guide to a patient's bone.

14. A system of claim 13 , wherein said first and second rotational paths are about different axes.

15. A system of claim 14 , wherein said axes are transverse to each other.

16. A system of claim 13 , wherein said first and second assemblies each include a locking device for securing said resection guide along said translational path and said first and second rotational paths.

17. A system of claim 13 , further including a computer navigation tracker coupled to said resection guide.

18. A system according to claim 13 , further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling said plane probe to a computer navigation tracker.

19. A system according to claim 18 , further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling said plane probe to a computer navigation tracker.

20. A system for guiding the resection of a patient's bone during arthroplasty, said system comprising a resection guide adapted for guiding a cutting device relative to a patient's bone during arthroplasty, an alignment guide adapted for attachment to the patient's bone and adapted for positioning said resection guide along a translational path and along a plurality of rotational paths, and a computer navigation system coupled to said resection guide, the system further including an anchoring pin adapted to secure said alignment guide to a patient's bone.

21. A system of claim 20 , wherein said plurality of rotational paths are about different axes.

22. A system of claim 21 , wherein said axes are transverse to each other.

23. A system of claim 20 , wherein said alignment guide includes first and second assemblies each including at least one locking device.

24. A system of claim 23 , wherein said locking device of said first assembly is adapted for securing said resection guide along said translational path.

25. A system of claim 23 , wherein said locking device of said second assembly is adapted for securing said resection guide along said plurality of rotational paths.

26. A system of claim 25 , wherein said second assembly includes a pair of locking devices, each of said locking devices adapted for securing said resection guide along separate rotational paths.

27. A system of claim 20 , further including a plane probe.