Systems and methods for controlled facet repositioning in the calcaneus

1. A surgical method, comprising:

collecting a set of patient data;

identifying at least one significant point from the set of patient data;

creating a surgical guide based on the at least one significant point and the patient data;

making a longitudinal incision on a lateral portion of a foot of a patient;

identifying and preserving one or more soft tissue structures;

coupling the surgical guide to a calcaneum of a patient;

performing at least one cut into the calcaneum using the surgical guide, wherein the at least one cut forms a recess in the calcaneum with the recess defined by a first calcaneal portion positioned substantially anteriorly from the recess and a second calcaneal portion positioned substantially posteriorly from the recess;

shifting at least one of the first calcaneal portion and the second calcaneal portion in at least one plane by placing an implant at least partially within the recess; and

securing the implant within the recess,

wherein the at least one significant point comprises at least one of an anterior facet, a middle facet, and a posterior facet of the calcaneum,

wherein the at least one cut extends at least partially between the anterior facet and the posterior facet in a medial-lateral direction,

wherein the first calcaneal portion comprises the anterior facet of the calcaneum, and the second calcaneal portion comprises the posterior facet of the calcaneum,

wherein the implant comprises a substantially wedge-shaped geometry.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stabilizing one or more structures adjacent the calcaneum.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing at least one implant trial within the recess to determine an appropriate size of the implant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cut extends at least partially between the anterior facet and the middle facet in a medial-lateral direction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cut forms a substantially oblique angle with a coronal plane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first calcaneal portion further comprises the middle facet of the calcaneum.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating the implant based on the set of patient data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of patient data comprises a first relationship between the anterior facet, the middle facet, and the posterior facet of the calcaneum.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein placing the implant at least partially within the recess produces a second relationship between the anterior facet, the middle facet, and the posterior facet, wherein the second relationship is different from the first relationship.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cut extends from a lateral portion of the calcaneum to a medial portion of the calcaneum.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the medial portion is positioned further anteriorly than the lateral portion.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the lateral portion is positioned further anteriorly than the medial portion.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the second calcaneal portion substantially medially.