Granted Patent B2

US 7,896,883 · App. 12/397,095 · Granted Mar 1, 2011

Assignee: Arthrosurface, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (92)

1. A method for preparing an implant site in bone, comprising:

establishing a first working axis extending from said bone;

establishing a second working axis extending from said bone, said second working axis is displaced from said first working axis;

creating a first socket in said bone by reaming about said first working axis;

creating a second socket in said bone, adjacent said first socket, by reaming about said second working axis;

advancing a cannulated drill guide to contact said bone, said cannulated drill guide comprising a cannulated handle and a first arcuate tip section removably coupled to a distal end of said cannulated handle, said first arcuate tip section comprising first and second bone contacting points and a bore aligned with a lumen of said cannulated handle, wherein said first working axis is defined extending from said bone through said bore and said lumen;

installing a first guide pin into said bone through said lumen and said bore and along said first working axis;

advancing a cannulated bone centering shaft over said first guide pin, said bone centering shaft comprising a cannulated tap portion and a cannulated shaft, a shoulder portion between said tap portion and said shaft, and at least one visual marker on said cannulated shaft;

driving said tap portion into said bone to a predetermined depth;

advancing a cannulated contact probe over said centering shaft, said contact probe comprising an outrigger extending radially from a cannulated shaft, said outrigger comprising a contact point, and a handle comprising visual measuring indicia configured to align with said visual marker, wherein said visual measuring indicia and said visual marker configured to visually display a depth of said contact point when said contact point is advanced to contact said bone;

determining a plurality of depth measurements in at least one plane and determining a curvature based on at least one said depth measurement; and

advancing a first reamer over said centering shaft and rotating said reamer about said centering shaft to create said first socket in said bone.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first and second working axes are established, in part, by advancing first and second guide pins into said bone, said guide pins extending from said bone.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first and second working axes are established by placing a guide block onto the surface of the bone such that at least two opposing points of the guide blocks contact said bone, said guide block having first and second bores therein defining the location of said first and second working axes with respect to said bone.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing a third working axis extending from said bone, said third working axis is displaced from said first and second working axes; and

creating a third socket in said bone, adjacent said first and second sockets, by reaming about said third working axis.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

advancing a centering shaft into and extending from said bone along said first working axis;

measuring a plurality of points from a fixed position along said centering shaft to said bone, said plurality of point indicative of a curvature of said bone in at least one plane; and

selecting, based on said plurality of points, an implant having a bone-facing surface and a load-bearing surface that substantially matches said curvature of said bone.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

selecting a guide block having a curvature based on said plurality of points;

advancing said guide block to said bone about said first working axis, said guide block comprising at least two opposing points configured to contact said bone at different locations and first and second bores therein defining the location of said first and second working axes with respect to said bone.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

advancing a sizing trial implant into, at least in part, said first and second sockets, said sizing trial implant having a curvature of at least one surface thereof based on said plurality of points; and

confirming that said sizing trial implant fits within said first and second sockets.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

applying bone adhesive to said implant; and

installing said implant, at least in part, into said first and second sockets in the bone.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removably coupling a guide block onto said distal end of said cannulated handle, said guide block comprising a body portion having a curvature based on at least one said depth measurement, first and second bone contacting points, a first bore aligned with a lumen of said cannulated handle, and a second bore spaced apart from said first bore, said second bore defining said second working axis;

advancing said guide block and cannulated handle over said first guide pin; and

installing a second guide pin into said bone through said second bore and along said second working axis.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

removably coupling a cannulated bushing into said second bore prior to installing said second guide pin.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

advancing a second reamer over said second guide pin and rotating said reamer about said second guide pin to create said second socket in said bone.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

advancing a cannulated tap over said first guide pin and into said bone to tap area of bone surrounding said first guide pin;

advancing a tapered post over said first guide pin into the tapped area of bone to secure said tapered post into said bone.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

selecting an implant comprising a load-bearing surface that substantially matches said curvature of said bone and having a curvature based on at least one said depth measurement, said implant is dimensioned to fit within, at least, said first and second sockets, said implant also comprising a bone-facing surface comprising a recess configured to mate with the taper of said tapered post;

installing said implant into said first and second sockets by mating said recess with said tapered post.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

applying adhesive to said bone-facing surface prior to said installing said implant.

15. A method for preparing an implant site in bone, comprising:

establishing a first working axis extending from said bone;

establishing a second working axis extending from said bone, said second working axis is displaced from said first working axis;

creating a first socket in said bone by reaming about said first working axis;

creating a second socket in said bone, adjacent said first socket, by reaming about said second working axis,

removably coupling a guide block onto said distal end of said cannulated handle, said guide block comprising a body portion having a curvature based on at least one said depth measurement, first and second bone contacting points, a first bore aligned with a lumen of said cannulated handle, and a second bore spaced apart from said first bore, said second bore defining said second working axis;

advancing said guide block and cannulated handle over said first guide pin;

installing a second guide pin into said bone through said second bore and along said second working axis;

advancing a cannulated drill guide to contact said bone, said cannulated drill guide comprising a cannulated handle and a first arcuate tip section removably coupled to a distal end of said cannulated handle, said first arcuate tip section comprising first and second bone contacting points and a bore aligned with a lumen of said cannulated handle, wherein said first working axis is defined extending from said bone through said bore and said lumen; and

installing a first guide pin into said bone through said lumen and said bore and along said first working axis.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said first and second working axes are established, in part, by advancing first and second guide pins into said bone, said guide pins extending from said bone.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said first and second working axes are established by placing a guide block onto the surface of the bone such that at least two opposing points of the guide blocks contact said bone, said guide block having first and second bores therein defining the location of said first and second working axes with respect to said bone.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

establishing a third working axis extending from said bone, said third working axis is displaced from said first and second working axes; and

creating a third socket in said bone, adjacent said first and second sockets, by reaming about said third working axis.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

advancing a centering shaft into and extending from said bone along said first working axis;

measuring a plurality of points from a fixed position along said centering shaft to said bone, said plurality of point indicative of a curvature of said bone in at least one plane; and

selecting, based on said plurality of points, an implant having a bone-facing surface and a load-bearing surface that substantially matches said curvature of said bone.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

selecting a guide block having a curvature based on said plurality of points;

advancing said guide block to said bone about said first working axis, said guide block comprising at least two opposing points configured to contact said bone at different locations and first and second bores therein defining the location of said first and second working axes with respect to said bone.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

advancing a sizing trial implant into, at least in part, said first and second sockets, said sizing trial implant having a curvature of at least one surface thereof based on said plurality of points; and

confirming that said sizing trial implant fits within said first and second sockets.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

applying bone adhesive to said implant; and

installing said implant, at least in part, into said first and second sockets in the bone.

23. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

advancing a cannulated bone centering shaft over said first guide pin, said bone centering shaft comprising a cannulated tap portion and a cannulated shaft, a shoulder portion between said tap portion and said shaft, and at least one visual marker on said cannulated shaft;

driving said tap portion into said bone to a predetermined depth;

advancing a cannulated contact probe over said centering shaft, said contact probe comprising an outrigger extending radially from a cannulated shaft, said outrigger comprising a contact point, and a handle comprising visual measuring indicia configured to align with said visual marker, wherein said visual measuring indicia and said visual marker configured to visually display a depth of said contact point when said contact point is advanced to contact said bone;

determining a plurality of depth measurements in at least one plane and determining a curvature based on at least one said depth measurement; and

advancing a first reamer over said centering shaft and rotating said reamer about said centering shaft to create said first socket in said bone.

24. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

removably coupling a cannulated bushing into said second bore prior to installing said second guide pin.

25. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

advancing a second reamer over said second guide pin and rotating said reamer about said second guide pin to create said second socket in said bone.

26. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

advancing a cannulated tap over said first guide pin and into said bone to tap area of bone surrounding said first guide pin;

advancing a tapered post over said first guide pin into the tapped area of bone to secure said tapered post into said bone.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

selecting an implant comprising a load-bearing surface that substantially matches said curvature of said bone and having a curvature based on at least one said depth measurement, said implant is dimensioned to fit within, at least, said first and second sockets, said implant also comprising a bone-facing surface comprising a recess configured to mate with the taper of said tapered post;

installing said implant into said first and second sockets by mating said recess with said tapered post.

28. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

applying adhesive to said bone-facing surface prior to said installing said implant.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (16)