BONE POSITIONING AND PREPARING GUIDE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

1 . A method of correcting a bunion deformity, comprising the steps of:

moving a first metatarsal from an anatomically misaligned position with respect to a second metatarsal to an anatomically aligned position with respect to the second metatarsal by applying a force to the first metatarsal, the force moving the first metatarsal to correct an alignment in more than one plane; and

after moving the first metatarsal into the anatomically aligned position, preparing an end of the first metatarsal and preparing an opposing end of a medial cuneiform for fusion.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the more than one plane includes any two or more of the frontal plane, transverse plane, and sagittal plane.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first metatarsal is rotated in the frontal plane.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to moving the first metatarsal, further including the step of mobilizing a tarsal-metatarsal joint site by releasing soft tissue or obstructing bone.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the force is applied by a bone engagement member of a bone positioning device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the preparing step includes placing a tissue removing instrument in apposition to a first guide surface of a guide.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further including the step of placing the prepared end of the medial cuneiform in apposition with the prepared end of the first metatarsal.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further including the step of fixing the position of the medial cuneiform with respect to the first metatarsal by applying at least one bone fixation device across or through a joint between the apposed prepared ends of the medial cuneiform and the first metatarsal.

9 . A bone positioning guide, comprising:

a bone engagement member;

a tip;

a mechanism to urge the bone engagement member and the tip towards each other; and

an actuator to actuate the mechanism, wherein actuating the mechanism causes a first bone engaged with the bone engagement member to move to correct an alignment of the first bone in more than one plane with respect to a second bone in contact with the tip, including about an axis in a frontal plane.

10 . The bone positioning guide of claim 9 , wherein the mechanism comprises a main body and a shaft movably connected to the main body proximate a first end of the main body;

wherein the bone engagement member is rotatably coupled to the shaft; and the tip is at a second end of the main body opposite the first end.

11 . The bone positioning guide of claim 9 , wherein the tip includes a textured surface.

12 . The bone positioning guide of claim 9 , wherein the tip is tapered.

13 . The bone positioning guide of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is a knob coupled to the shaft.

14 . A bone preparation guide, comprising:

a body with a first guide surface to define a first preparing plane and a second guide surface to define a second preparing plane, the first and second guide surfaces being spaced from each other by a distance, and an opening disposed between the first and second guide surfaces; and

a first end extending from the body in a first direction and a second end extending from the body in a second direction, the second direction being different than the first direction, each of the first end and the second end including a fixation aperture configured to receive a fixation pin.