Method for removal of bone

1. A method involving (i) a cutting guide having a tibia-facing top surface that defines a tibia-facing top opening, a talus-facing bottom surface that defines a talus-facing bottom opening, and a tool passage extending between the tibia-facing top opening and the talus-facing bottom opening, and (ii) a tool having a distal portion that includes a cutting member and a stop collar, comprising:

resecting bone of a talus to form a talus mounting surface;

locating the cutting guide between the talus and a tibia so that the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface; and

forming a keel cavity in the talus while the cutting guide is located between the talus and the tibia on the talus mounting surface including (i) advancing the cutting member through the tool passage and into contact with the talus while the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface, and (ii) manipulating the tool within the tool passage while the stop collar is in contact with the cutting guide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the cutting guide further has a ramp surface located within the tool passage,

the locating step further includes locating the cutting guide between the talus and the tibia so that the ramp surface faces the tibia while the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface, and

the forming step further includes manipulating the tool within the tool passage while (i) the stop collar is in contact with the ramp surface, and (ii) the ramp surface faces the tibia.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the ramp surface includes a first ramp surface portion and a second ramp surface portion,

the tibia-facing top surface extends in a direction,

the first ramp surface portion slopes downwardly in relation to the direction, and

the second ramp surface slopes upwardly in relation to the direction.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the forming step further includes:

advancing the tool within the tool passage while the stop collar is in contact with the first ramp surface portion, and thereafter

advancing the tool within the tool passage while the stop collar is in contact with the second ramp surface portion.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

implanting a talus component of an ankle prosthesis system in the talus, wherein (i) the talus component has a keel, and (ii) the implanting step includes implanting the talus component in the talus so that the keel is located in the keel cavity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the cutting guide further has a hook positioning structure, and

the locating step further includes catching a posterior cortex portion of the talus with the hook positioning structure while the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the cutting guide further has a main body that defines the tool passage; and

the hook positioning structure is adjustably mounted to the main body.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the forming step further includes (i) positioning the tool within the tool passage so that the tool forms a first angle with respect to the tibia-facing top surface, and (ii) further positioning the tool within the tool passage so that the tool forms a second angle with respect to the tibia-facing top surface, and

the first angle is different from the second angle.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manipulating step is performed while (i) the stop collar extends through the tibia-facing top opening, and (ii) the cutting member extends through the talus-facing bottom opening.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the manipulating step is further performed while the cutting member also extends through the tibia-facing top opening.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the manipulating step is performed while the stop collar is spaced apart from the talus-facing bottom opening.

12. A method involving (i) a cutting guide having a tibia-facing top surface that defines a tibia-facing top opening, a talus-facing bottom surface that defines a talus-facing bottom opening, and a tool passage extending between the tibia-facing top opening and the talus-facing bottom opening, and (ii) a tool having a distal portion that includes a cutting member and a stop collar, comprising:

resecting bone of a talus to form (i) a bone space previously occupied by talus bone, the bone space being located between the talus and a tibia, and (ii) a talus mounting surface;

locating the cutting guide in the bone space so that the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface; and

forming a keel cavity in the talus while the cutting guide is located in the bone space and on the talus mounting surface, the forming step including (i) advancing the cutting member through the tool passage and into contact with the talus while the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface, and (ii) manipulating the tool within the tool passage while the stop collar is in contact with the cutting guide.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the cutting guide further has a ramp surface located within the tool passage,

the locating step further includes locating the cutting guide between the talus and the tibia so that the ramp surface faces the tibia while the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface, and

the forming step further includes manipulating the tool within the tool passage while (i) the stop collar is in contact with the ramp surface, and (ii) the ramp surface faces the tibia.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the ramp surface includes a first ramp surface portion and a second ramp surface portion,

the tibia-facing top surface extends in a direction,

the first ramp surface portion slopes downwardly in relation to the direction, and

the second ramp surface slopes upwardly in relation to the direction.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forming step further includes:

advancing the tool within the tool passage while the stop collar is in contact with the first ramp surface portion, and thereafter

advancing the tool within the tool passage while the stop collar is in contact with the second ramp surface portion.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

implanting a talus component of an ankle prosthesis system in the talus, wherein (i) the talus component has a keel, and (ii) the implanting step includes implanting the talus component in the talus so that the keel is located in the keel cavity.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the cutting guide further has a hook positioning structure, and

the locating step further includes catching a posterior cortex portion of the talus with the hook positioning structure while the talus-facing bottom surface is positioned on the talus mounting surface.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:

the cutting guide further has a main body that defines the tool passage; and

the hook positioning structure is adjustably mounted to the main body.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the forming step further includes (i) positioning the tool within the tool passage so that the tool forms a first angle with respect to the tibia-facing top surface, and (ii) further positioning the tool within the tool passage so that the tool forms a second angle with respect to the tibia-facing top surface, and

the first angle is different from the second angle.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the manipulating step is performed while (i) the stop collar extends through the tibia-facing top opening, and (ii) the cutting member extends through the talus-facing bottom opening.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the manipulating step is further performed while the cutting member also extends through the tibia-facing top opening.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the manipulating step is performed while the stop collar is spaced apart from the talus-facing bottom opening.