Opening and closing wedge osteotomy guide and method

1. A method of performing an osteotomy on a bone, the method comprising:

securing an osteotomy guide to the bone, the osteotomy guide comprising a proximal end, a distal end, first and second guide surfaces operable to guide a cutter to make first and second cuts on a first side of the bone, a first fixation element proximal to the guide surfaces, a second fixation element distal to the guide surfaces, and a third guide surface operable to guide a cutter to make a cut on a second side of the bone, the third guide surface extending toward but stopping short of the first and second guide surfaces, wherein the osteotomy guide is secured to the bone using one of the first and second fixation elements;

using the osteotomy guide to guide removing a portion of bone from the first side of the bone to create a gap on the first side of the bone;

using the osteotomy guide to guide making a cut on a second side of the bone, opposite the first side;

rotating the bone from a first position to a second position to close the gap on the first side of the bone and open the cut on the second side of the bone to create a gap on the second side of the bone; and

after rotating the bone from the first position to the second position, securing the osteotomy guide to the bone with the other of the first and second fixation elements to support the bone in the second position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising filling the gap created on the second side of the bone with a filler.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the filler contains at least one material selected from the group consisting of autograft tissue, allograft tissue, xenograft tissue, plastic, metal, and ceramic.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of filling the gap created on the second side of the bone with a filler comprises inserting at least some of the portion of bone removed from the first side of the bone into the gap on the second side of the bone.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of removing a portion of bone from a first side of the bone comprises removing a wedge of bone and further wherein the step of inserting at least some of the portion of bone removed from the first side of the bone into the gap on the second side of the bone comprises inserting the wedge of bone from the first side into the gap in the second side of the bone.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising securing the bone in the second position with a third fixation element.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the third fixation element includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of plates, pins, and screws.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the osteotomy guide is provided as one of a set of two or more osteotomy guides,

the first and second guide surfaces of each of the osteotomy guides comprise first and second intersecting guide surfaces spaced apart by an angle;

the angle of at least two of the osteotomy guides are different from each other; and

wherein the method further comprises selecting one of the osteotomy guides of the set, the selected osteotomy guide having an angle corresponding to a desired bone correction angle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the bone comprises a metatarsus of a first ray of a human foot.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the gap comprises a gap first end at the first side of the bone and a gap second end at a furthest extent, from the first side of the bone, at which the bone was cut to form the gap; and

wherein the cut comprises a cut first end at the second side of the bone and a cut second end at a furthest extent, from the second side of the bone, at which the bone was cut to form the cut; and

wherein the cut second end is further from the first side of the bone than the gap second end.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the gap defines at least a first planar surface of the bone; and

the cut is coplanar with the first planar surface.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein removing a portion of bone from a first side of the bone comprises making a cut into the bone from the first side of the bone toward the second side of the bone and wherein making a cut on a second side of the bone comprises making a cut into the bone from the second side of the bone toward the first side of the bone, the method further comprising leaving a portion of uncut bone between the first and second sides about which the bone can rotate.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the third guide surface is coplanar with one of the first and second guide surfaces.

14. A method of performing an osteotomy on a metatarsus of a first ray of the human foot, the method comprising:

positioning an osteotomy guide adjacent the metatarsus, the osteotomy guide comprising a proximal end, a distal end, guide surfaces for guiding a cutter, a first fixation element proximal to the guide surfaces, and a second fixation element distal to the guide surfaces;

securing the osteotomy guide to the metatarsus with one of the first and second fixation elements;

guiding a cutter with the osteotomy guide to remove a portion of bone from a first side of the metatarsus to create a gap on the first side of the metatarsus;

guiding a cutter with the osteotomy guide to make a cut on a second side of the metatarsus, opposite the first side;

rotating the metatarsus from a first position to a second position to close the gap on the first side of the metatarsus and open the cut on the second side of the metatarsus to create a gap on the second side of the metatarsus;

securing the osteotomy guide to the metatarsus with the other of the first and second fixation elements to support the metatarsus in the second position; and

filling the gap created on the second side of the metatarsus.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein guiding a cutter with the osteotomy guide to remove a portion of the metatarsus from a first side of the metatarsus comprises removing a wedge of the metatarsus and further wherein filling the gap on the second side of the metatarsus comprises inserting the wedge of bone from the first side into the second side of the metatarsus.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising securing the metatarsus in the second position with a third fixation element.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first and second fixation elements is a hole operable to receive a member selected from the group consisting of pins, nails, and screws.