Guide pin placement for hip resurfacing

1. A method of setting a guide pin in a femoral neck of a patient for use in resurfacing a femoral head in a hip procedure, comprising:

inserting a retrograde reference pin into the femoral neck from a retrograde approach until a distal end of said retrograde reference pin pierces a femoral cortex of the femoral head to thereby form a guide pin track in the femoral neck and a guide pin opening through the femoral cortex of the femoral head, the retrograde reference pin guided by a retrograde pin guide member having a plurality of retrograde pin bores extending through the retrograde in guide member, the plurality of retrograde pin bores configured for use in positioning and guiding the retrograde reference pin, at least two of the plurality of retrograde pin bores defining axes that are parallel with one another, the retrograde pin guide member adjustably attached to a reference pin guide member;

removing said retrograde reference pin from the femur to thereby expose said guide pin track and said guide pin opening,

locating said guide pin opening,

inserting a definitive guide pin antegrade through said guide pin opening and into the guide pin track, and

using said definitive guide pin to resurface the femoral head.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to said step of inserting said retrograde reference pin,

laying an external reference pin along an exterior of the patient in general alignment with the femoral neck for use as a varus-valgus reference guide during formation of said guide pin track,

viewing said external reference pin, the femoral neck and the femoral head under external imaging in order to determine a desired location of said guide pin track, and

using said external reference pin as a varus-valgus reference guide during formation of said guide pin track.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after forming said guide pin track,

studying the position of the retrograde reference pin in the femoral neck under external imaging to verify whether said guide pin track is properly oriented, and

if said guide pin track is not properly oriented, inserting a second retrograde reference pin into the femoral neck from a retrograde approach until a distal end of said second retrograde reference pin pierces a femoral cortex of the femur to thereby form a second guide pin track in the femoral neck and a second guide pin opening through the femoral cortex.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of inserting said retrograde reference pin occurs before opening the hip of the patient, and said step of inserting said definitive guide pin into the guide pin track occurs after opening and dislocating the hip of the patient.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said opening of the hip is accomplished through a minimal incision of about 8 cm or less.

6. A method of setting a guide pin in a femoral neck of a patient for use in resurfacing a femoral head in a hip procedure, comprising:

providing an instrument for guide pin placement in the femoral head and the femoral neck of the patient, said instrument comprising:

a reference pin guide member having a bore configured for use in positioning and guiding an external reference pin,

a retrograde pin guide member for use in positioning and guiding a retrograde reference pin, said retrograde pin guide member having a plurality of retrograde pin bores extending through the retrograde pin guide member, the plurality of retrograde pin bores positioned and configured for use in positioning and guiding a retrograde reference pin into the femoral neck and the femoral head of the patient using a retrograde approach, at least two of the plurality of retrograde pin bores defining axes that are parallel with one another, and

said retrograde pin guide member adjustably attached to said reference pin guide member, said adjustable attachment configured to provide selective adjustment and setting of a position of said external reference pin and said retrograde reference pin relative to one another;

inserting an external reference pin into said bore of said reference pin guide member;

inserting a retrograde reference pin into a selected one of said plurality of retrograde pin bores;

laying said external reference pin along an exterior of the patient in general alignment with the femoral neck for use as a varus-valgus reference guide during formation of said guide pin track;

viewing said external reference pin and the femoral neck under external imaging in order to determine a desired location of a guide pin track; and

inserting a retrograde reference pin into the femoral neck from a retrograde approach until a distal end of said retrograde reference pin pierces a femoral cortex of the femoral head to thereby form a guide pin track in the femoral neck and a guide pin opening through the femoral cortex of the femoral head, wherein said step of inserting said retrograde reference pin includes using said retrograde reference pin as a varus-valgus reference guide during formation of said guide pin track.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising

removing said retrograde reference pin from the femur to thereby expose said guide pin track and said guide pin opening;

locating said guide pin opening;

inserting a definitive guide pin antegrade through said guide pin opening and into said guide pin track; and

using said definitive guide pin to resurface the femoral head.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, after forming said guide pin track,

studying the position of the retrograde reference pin in the femoral neck under external imaging to verify whether said guide pin track is oriented in an acceptable position, and

if said guide pin track is not oriented in an acceptable position, selecting a second pin bore from said plurality of pin bores of said guide pin placement instrument, wherein said second pin bore is selected on the basis of being likely to provide a more acceptable position for said guide pin track than said retrograde reference pin;

inserting a second retrograde reference pin into said second selected retrograde pin bore;

inserting said second retrograde reference pin into the femoral neck from a retrograde approach until a distal end of said second retrograde reference pin pierces a femoral cortex of the femur to thereby form a second guide pin track in the femoral neck and a second guide pin opening through the femoral cortex, said retrograde pin guide member maintaining an offset between said second retrograde reference pin and said first retrograde reference pin during insertion of said second retrograde reference pin.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising

removing said retrograde reference pin and said second retrograde reference pin from the femur to thereby expose said guide pin tracks and said guide pin openings;

locating said second guide pin opening;

inserting a definitive guide pin antegrade through said second guide pin opening and into said second guide pin track; and

using said definitive guide pin to resurface the femoral head.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein said opening of the hip is accomplished through a minimal incision of about 8 cm or less.