Guidance system and method for bone fusion
View Patent ↗An apparatus comprises a medial rail having a plurality of openings through the medial rail for receiving pins, screws or wires. An arm is pivotally mounted to the medial rail. The arm has at least a first track on a first side. A post has a connector slidably mounted to the first track of the arm for movement along the first track. A guide is slidably mounted for movement along the post. The guide has at least one opening through it and at least one pin for engaging a bone of a patient.
1. A method comprising:
fixing a medial rail having a plurality of openings therethrough to a medial column of a patient;
pivoting an arm mounted to the medial rail so the arm extends on a lateral side of the medial rail, the arm having at least a first track on a first side thereof, so that after the pivoting, the first track faces an anterior side of the arm;
sliding a post mounted to the first track of the arm until the post is adjacent a metatarsal; and
sliding a guide along the post, wherein the guide has at least one pin, and the sliding is performed until the pin engages the metatarsal.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting a wire or drill into the metatarsal through the guide.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inserting step includes passing the wire or drill through bone until the wire or drill reaches a talus of the patient.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
pivoting the arm by approximately 180 degrees, so that a second track on a second side of the arm opposite the first side of the arm faces the anterior side of the arm; and
mounting the post to the second track.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
sliding the post along the second track of the arm until the post is adjacent a second metatarsal; and
sliding the guide along the post until the pin engages the second metatarsal.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of fixing the medial rail includes inserting a plurality of pins or wires through the plurality of openings into respective bones of a medial column of the patient.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the post has a connector with a threaded hole therethrough for receiving a threaded end of the post, further comprising advancing the threaded end of the post to abut a surface of the first track, so as to lock the post in position with respect to the first track.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medial rail comprises a radiolucent material, and contains therein a radiopaque element, the method further comprising viewing the radiopaque element with a fluoroscope to align the medial rail with the medial column.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting a bushing into an opening in the guide.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising drilling an opening for a pin or wire through the bushing.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising inserting a pin or wire through the bushing.
12. A method comprising:
fixing a medial rail having a plurality of openings therethrough to a medial column of a patient;
pivoting an arm mounted to the medial rail so the arm extends on a lateral side of the medial rail, the arm having at least a first track on a first side thereof, so that after the pivoting, the first track faces an anterior side of the arm;
sliding a post mounted to the first track of the arm until the post is adjacent a metatarsal, the post having a connector with a threaded hole therethrough for receiving a threaded end of the post;
advancing the threaded end of the post to abut a surface of the first track, so as to lock the post in position with respect to the first track.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
pivoting the arm by approximately 180 degrees, so that a second track on a second side of the arm opposite the first side of the arm faces the anterior side of the arm; and
mounting the post to the second track.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of fixing the medial rail includes inserting a plurality of pins or wires through the plurality of openings into respective bones of a medial column of the patient.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the medial rail comprises a radiolucent material, and contains therein a radiopaque element, the method further comprising viewing the radiopaque element with a fluoroscope to align the medial rail with the medial column.
16. A method comprising:
fixing a medial rail to a medial column of a patient;
pivoting an arm mounted to the medial rail so the arm extends on a lateral side of the medial rail, the arm having at least a first track on a first side thereof;
sliding a post mounted to the first track of the arm until the post is adjacent a metatarsal; and
sliding a guide along the post, wherein the guide has at least one pin, and the sliding is performed until the pin engages the metatarsal.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising inserting a wire or drill into the metatarsal through the guide.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
pivoting the arm by approximately 180 degrees; and
mounting the post to a second track of the arm.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the post has a connector with a threaded hole therethrough for receiving a threaded end of the post, further comprising advancing the threaded end of the post to abut a surface of the first track, so as to lock the post in position with respect to the first track.
20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
inserting a bushing into an opening in the guide;
drilling an opening for a pin or wire through the bushing; and
inserting a pin or wire through the bushing.