Methods and techniques for tibial implant placement
Methods, techniques and apparatuses are disclosed including exemplary methods of performing a knee arthroplasty of the tibia. One exemplary method can include determining at least a depth of a distal fixation feature of a tibial implant, and forming a metaphyseal recess in a proximal portion of the tibia. The recess can be configured to receive the distal fixation feature therein and can be sized to exceed at least the depth of the distal fixation feature such that when a distal surface of the tibial implant contacts a proximal surface of the proximal portion of the tibia and the distal fixation feature is received in the metaphyseal recess, a gap remains between the distal fixation feature and one or more surfaces that form a portion of the metaphyseal recess.
1. A method of performing a knee arthroplasty of the tibia, the method comprising:
determining at least a depth of a distal fixation feature of a tibial implant;
forming a metaphyseal recess in a proximal portion of the tibia, the recess configured to receive the distal fixation feature therein and sized to exceed at least the depth of the distal fixation feature; and
implanting the tibial implant by inserting the distal fixation feature distally into the metaphyseal recess and contacting a proximal surface of the proximal portion of the tibia with a distal surface of the tibial implant, wherein when implanted and so inserted the distal fixation feature is received in the metaphyseal recess and a gap remains between the distal fixation feature and one or more surfaces that form a portion of the metaphyseal recess.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining at least the depth of the distal fixation feature includes determining a size of an interfacing surface of the distal fixation feature along at least one reference dimension.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a size of the distal fixation feature is additionally determined with respect to one or more of a width and a length of the distal fixation feature.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metaphyseal recess is configured such that one or more of a width and a length of the recess exceeds one or more of a corresponding width and a corresponding length of the metaphyseal recess.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal surface of the tibial implant comprises a porous material.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal fixation feature comprises at least one of a peg, a keel, a stem, a rail, and a fin.
7. A method of performing a knee arthroplasty of the tibia, the method comprising:
resecting a proximal portion of a tibia to form a proximal surface thereon;
determining a size of a distal fixation feature of a tibial implant;
forming a metaphyseal recess in the proximal portion of the tibia, the recess configured to receive the distal fixation feature therein and sized to exceed the size of the distal fixation feature at a maximum tolerance with the recess at a minimum tolerance; and
seating the tibial implant down distally on the proximal surface such that when a distal surface of the tibial implant fully contacts the proximal surface with no gap therebetween, wherein the distal fixation feature is received in the metaphyseal recess and a gap remains between the distal fixation feature and one or more surfaces that form at least a portion of the metaphyseal recess.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the size of the distal fixation feature includes determining a size of an interfacing surface of the distal fixation feature along at least one reference dimension.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the size of the interfacing surface is determined with respect to one or more of a width, a depth, and a length of the distal fixation feature.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the metaphyseal recess is configured such that at least a depth and one or more of a width and a length of the recess exceeds a corresponding depth and one or more of a corresponding width and a corresponding length of the metaphyseal recess.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the distal surface of the tibial implant comprises a porous material.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the distal fixation feature comprises at least one of a peg, a keel, a stem, a rail, and a fin.
13. A method of performing a knee arthroplasty of the tibia, the method comprising:
forming a metaphyseal recess in a proximal portion of the tibia by drilling distally into the proximal portion and leaving an opening to the metaphyseal recess at the proximal portion of the tibia, the recess configured to receive a distal fixation feature of a tibial implant therein with the distal fixation feature passing through the opening; and
seating the tibial implant distally on the proximal surface such that when a distal surface of the tibial implant contacts a proximal surface of the proximal portion of the tibia and the distal fixation feature is received in the metaphyseal recess such that a gap remains in at least a depth direction between the distal fixation feature and one or more surfaces that form a portion of the recess, wherein the gap remains even at maximum tolerance of the distal fixation feature and a minimum tolerance of the recess.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a size of an interfacing surface of the distal fixation feature along at least one reference plane.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein a size of the distal fixation feature is additionally determined with respect to one or more of a width and a length of the distal fixation feature.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metaphyseal recess is configured such that one or more of a width and a length of the recess exceeds one or more of a corresponding width and a corresponding length of the metaphyseal recess.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the distal surface of the tibial implant comprises a porous material.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the distal fixation feature comprises at least one of a peg, a keel, a stem, a rail, and a fin.