Methods for performing a tibial tubercle osteotomy

1. A method of performing a tibial tubercle osteotomy in a knee joint, the knee joint including an anterior side positioned on a first, front side of a coronal plane and an opposing posterior side positioned on a second, back side of the coronal plane, the knee including a tibia having a longitudinal axis extending between a tibia proximal end and a tibia distal end, the tibia proximal end being closer to the knee joint than the tibia distal end, the method comprising:

cutting a bone portion of a tibial tubercle from a remaining portion of the tibial tubercle, at least a portion of a patella ligament being attached to the bone portion;

separating the bone portion of the tibial tubercle from the remaining portion of the tibial tubercle such that the patella ligament remains attached to the bone portion, the tibial tubercle having a proximal end and an opposing distal end, the proximal end of the tibial tubercle being closer to the knee joint than the distal end of the tibial tubercle along the longitudinal axis of the tibia, the bone portion being separated from the remaining portion such that a recessed pocket is formed on the tibial tubercle, the recessed pocket having an undercut surface extending toward the proximal end of the tibial tubercle, said undercut surface defining a distally projecting anterior ridge extending toward the tibia distal end; and

reattaching the separated bone portion of the tibial tubercle to the remaining portion of the tibial tubercle, whereby said distally projecting anterior ridge resists anterior movement of the bone portion toward the anterior side of the knee joint after said reattaching step.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of cutting the bone portion comprises mediolaterally cutting through the tibial tubercle.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of cutting the bone portion comprises compressing complementary cutting dies on opposing sides of the tibial tubercle.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of the dies has a blade projecting therefrom, the step of compressing complementary cutting dies comprising positioning the dies so that the blades intersect at an angle when the blades are brought together.

5. A method as recited in claim 3 , wherein each of the dies has a transverse cross sectional configuration that corresponds substantially to the contour of an exterior surface of a vertically bisected heart design.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of cutting the bone portion comprises passing a saw blade through the tibial tubercle.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of cutting the bone comprises securing a guide to the tibia and passing the saw blade through a portion of the guide while the saw blade passes through the tibial tubercle.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the recessed pocket has a longitudinal cross sectional contour that corresponds substantially to the contour of an exterior surface of a vertically bisected heart design.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of reattaching the separated bone portion comprising inserting the bone portion back into the pocket.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising performing a total knee arthroplasty or a partial knee arthroplasty between the steps of separating and reattaching.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the undercut surface is concave.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the concavity of the undercut surface extends toward the proximal end of the tibial tubercle.

13. A method of performing a tibial tubercle osteotomy in a knee joint, the knee joint including an anterior side positioned on a first, front side of a coronal plane and an opposing posterior side positioned on a second, back side of the coronal plane, the knee including a tibia having a longitudinal axis extending between a tibia proximal end and a tibia distal end, the tibia proximal end being closer to the knee joint than the tibia distal end, the method comprising:

cutting at least a portion of a tibial tubercle from the tibia, at least a portion of a patella ligament being attached to the at least a portion of the tibial tubercle;

separating the at least a portion of a tibial tubercle from the tibia such that the at least a portion of a patella ligament remains attached to the at least a portion of a tibial tubercle, the at least a portion of a tibial tubercle being separated from the tibia such that a recessed pocket is formed on the tibia, the recessed pocket having an undercut surface extending toward a proximal end of the tibial tubercle, the proximal end of the tibial tubercle being closer to the knee joint than a distal end of the tibial tubercle along the longitudinal axis of the tibia, said undercut surface defining a distally projecting anterior ridge extending toward the tibia distal end; and

reattaching the separated at least a portion of a tibial tubercle to the tibia by securing the separated at least a portion of a tibial tubercle in the recessed pocket, whereby said distally projecting anterior ridge resists anterior movement of the at least a portion of a tibial tubercle toward the anterior side of the knee joint after said reattaching step.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the step of cutting comprises mediolaterally cutting through the tibial tubercle.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the step of cutting comprises compressing complementary cutting dies on opposing sides of the tibial tubercle.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 , wherein each of the dies has a blade projecting therefrom, the step of compressing complementary cutting dies comprising positioning the dies so that the blades intersect at an angle when the blades are brought together.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 , wherein each of the dies has a transverse cross sectional configuration that corresponds substantially to the contour of an exterior surface of a vertically bisected heart design.

18. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the step of cutting comprises passing a saw blade through the tibial tubercle.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the step of cutting comprises securing a guide to the tibia and passing the saw blade through a portion of the guide while the saw blade passes through the tibial tubercle.

20. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the recessed pocket has a longitudinal cross sectional contour that corresponds substantially to the contour of an exterior surface of a vertically bisected heart design.

21. A method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising performing a total knee arthroplasty or a partial knee arthroplasty between the steps of separating and reattaching.

22. A method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the undercut surface is concave.

23. A method as recited in claim 22 , wherein the concavity of the undercut surface extends toward the proximal end of the tibial tubercle.