Method and system for preparing bone for receiving an implant

1. A method of performing arthroplasty of an anatomical joint for receipt of an implant, the method comprising:

developing a preoperative plan that includes establishing a desired amount of remaining first bone based on a condition of the anatomical joint and a desired orientation of the implant;

designing a patient specific guide based on the preoperative plan, the patient specific guide having a pair of bores defined therein located in positions to accept a complementary pair of rigid pins whereby the bores are arranged at locations on the patient specific guide to orient the respective pins in a direction optimized for surgeon access to the first bone and to establish an Alpha plane, the preoperative plan including known locations of the first bone relative to the Alpha plane;

obtaining the patient specific guide;

gaining access to the anatomical joint including exposing the first bone;

placing the patient specific guide relative to the first bone;

advancing the pair of pins through the pair of bores on the patient specific guide;

fixing the pair of pins into the first bone thereby establishing the Alpha plane;

removing the patient specific guide from the first bone; and

executing the preoperative plan while referencing the Alpha plane comprising:

clamping a portion of the cutting tool to the at least one pin for translation of the cutting tool along the at least one pin;

moving the cutting tool relative to at least one of the first and second pins and along the Alpha plane; and

removing desired portions of the first bone with the cutting tool while referencing exclusively the Alpha plane to determine a position of the cutting tool based on the preoperative plan.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein executing the preoperative plan comprises:

coupling optical arrays to the pair of pins at a known distance from the first bone;

correlating a position of a cutting tool relative to the Alpha plane using the optical arrays; and

removing desired portions of the first bone with the cutting tool while referencing exclusively the Alpha plane to determine a position of the cutting tool based on the preoperative plan.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein removing desired portions of the first bone comprises:

resecting the first bone in a pattern to match a geometry of an implant.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cutting tool is motorized.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the cutting tool communicates wirelessly with a computer having the preoperative plan.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the computer comprises one of a workstation, desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, wearable accessory or garment.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the cutting tool comprises one of a reamer and an end-cutting milling device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein removing the desired portions of the first bone comprises:

translating the cutting tool along the Alpha plane;

reaming first portions of the first bone with the cutting tool at a first cutting angle based on the preoperative plan;

articulating an arm on the cutting tool to establish a second cutting angle, distinct from the first angle;

further translating the cutting tool along the Alpha plane; and

reaming second portions of the first bone with the cutting tool at the second cutting angle based on the preoperative plan.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bone is a glenoid and the anatomical joint is a shoulder, wherein the first pin is fixed into a base of a coracoid.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bone is a femur and the implant is a femoral implant.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bone is a tibia and the implant is a tibia implant.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first bone is an acetabulum and the implant is an acetabular cup.

13. A method of performing arthroplasty of an anatomical joint for receipt of an implant, the method comprising:

developing a preoperative plan that includes establishing a desired amount of remaining first bone based on a condition of the anatomical joint and a desired orientation of the implant;

designing a patient specific guide based on the preoperative plan, the patient specific guide having a pair of bores defined therein located in positions to accept a complementary pair of rigid pins whereby the bores are arranged at locations on the patient specific guide to orient the respective pins in a direction optimized for surgeon access to the first bone and to establish an Alpha plane, the preoperative plan including known locations of the first bone relative to the Alpha plane;

placing the patient specific guide relative to the first bone;

advancing the pair of pins through the pair of bores on the patient specific guide;

fixing the pair of pins into the first bone thereby establishing the Alpha plane;

removing the patient specific guide from the first bone wherein the first bone is therefore only engaged by the pair of pins; and

executing the preoperative plan while referencing exclusively the Alpha plane to determine a position of a cutting tool.

14. A method of performing arthroplasty of an anatomical joint for receipt of an implant, the method comprising:

developing a preoperative plan that includes establishing a desired amount of remaining first bone based on a condition of the anatomical joint and a desired orientation of the implant;

designing a patient specific guide based on the preoperative plan, the patient specific guide having a pair of bores defined therein located in positions to accept a complementary pair of rigid pins, including a first pin and a second pin, whereby the bores are arranged at locations on the patient specific guide to orient the respective pins in a direction optimized for surgeon access to the first bone and to establish an Alpha plane, the preoperative plan including known locations of the first bone relative to the Alpha plane;

obtaining the patient specific guide;

gaining access to the anatomical joint including exposing the first bone;

placing the patient specific guide relative to the first bone;

advancing the pair of pins through the pair of bores on the patient specific guide;

fixing the pair of pins into the first bone thereby establishing the Alpha plane;

removing the patient specific guide from the first bone; and

executing the preoperative plan while referencing the Alpha plane;

wherein the first bone is a glenoid and the anatomical joint is a shoulder, wherein the first pin is fixed into a base of a coracoid.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein executing the preoperative plan comprises:

coupling optical arrays to the pair of pins at a known distance from the first bone;

correlating a position of a cutting tool relative to the Alpha plane using the optical arrays; and

removing desired portions of the first bone with the cutting tool while referencing exclusively the Alpha plane to determine a position of the cutting tool based on the preoperative plan.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein executing the preoperative plan comprises:

connecting a cutting tool relative to at least one of the first and second pins;

moving the cutting tool relative to at least one of the first and second pins and along the Alpha plane;

removing desired portions of the first bone with the cutting tool while referencing exclusively the Alpha plane to determine a position of the cutting tool based on the preoperative plan.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein removing desired portions of the first bone comprises:

resecting the first bone in a pattern to match a geometry of an implant.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the cutting tool is motorized.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the cutting tool communicates wirelessly with a computer having the preoperative plan wherein the computer comprises one of a workstation, desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile phone, wearable accessory or garment.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the cutting tool comprises one of a reamer and an end-cutting milling device.