Abstract: A surgical instrument is described which comprises an alignment guide having a first part including a distal end and a second part having a proximal end. The first part is attached to the second part by a pivot mechanism so that the first part can be tilted relative to the second part. A brace is attached toward the proximal end of the alignment guide for attaching the instrument to a limb of a patient. A component is attached toward the distal end of the alignment guide. The pivot mechanism is configured so that tilting the first part does not substantially change the separation between the component and the brace.

Abstract: A surgical cutting guide is described which can guide a cutting implement to cut in a pair of planes at a defined relative orientation. The cutting guide comprises a first plate defining a first cutting plane, a second plate defining a second cutting plane at an angle to the first cutting plane; and a base member to which both the first plate and the second plate are attached. The first and second cutting planes intersect each other at a line of intersection and both the first plate and the second plate extend beyond the line of intersection.

Abstract: A support structure implant for location within a bone cavity to support the bone which defines the cavity is formed from interlaced wires which extend from a first end of the structure towards an opposite second end. The wires are formed into loops at the first end of the structure. The structure includes a clip having a plurality of fingers which extend through the loops to control the spacing between the loops.

Abstract: A guide block for use in surgery to locate a surgical tool accurately relative to an anatomical feature comprises a fixation part which can be fastened directly to the patient's tissue, and a guide part having at least one structural feature to engage a surgical tool to ensure that the tool is located appropriately relative to the patient's tissue. The guide part is mounted on the fixation part. The guide block includes at least two drives for adjusting the position of the guide part relative to the fixation part, so that the position of the guide part relative to the fixation part can be adjusted in at least two degrees of freedom. The fixation part of the guide block includes a housing which is hollow, and the drives are located inside the housing.

Abstract: A saw capture device comprising a body (2), coupling means for coupling the body (2) to a cutting block (4), the cutting block (4) being arranged to couple to a bone and an adjustable guide (22) comprising at least one curved arm couplable to the body (2). The adjustable guide (22) is couplable to the body (2) in a first configuration in which the at least one arm is arranged in use to curve away from a bone and a second configuration in which the at least one arm in use is arranged to curve towards the bone. When coupled to a cutting block (4) the adjustable guide (22) is spaced apart from the cutting block (4) to define a cutting slot (18).

Abstract: A burr guide assembly is described for guiding a burr tool during a procedure wherein the burr tool is used to cut a bone. The guide assembly includes a housing which is configured to be attached to the bone, a guide sleeve attached to the housing such that the guide sleeve can freely pivot about a pivot axis within a defined range, and a burr tool. The guide sleeve has a bore that extends along its length, which is located eccentrically within the guide sleeve. The burr tool has a cutting portion that is configured to be at least partially disposed within the bore. The guide sleeve is mounted within the housing such that the cutting portion is substantially restricted to movement in a plane that is perpendicular to the pivot axis.

Abstract: A surgical jig for determining an axis extending into the end of a bone (2). The jig comprises a platform (10) arranged to be supported upon a resected surface (4) at an end of a bone (2), first and second clamps (16) and an alignment guide (18). The first and second clamps (16) are coupled to the platform (10) and are arranged to engage first and second portions of a bone lip (6) extending around at least part of the resected surface (4) to secure the platform (10) to the resected surface (4). The alignment guide (18) defines an axis extending into the end of the bone (2), the alignment guide (18) being pivotally coupled to the platform (10). A method of determining an axis extending into the end of a bone (2) using the surgical jig is also disclosed.

Abstract: A bone cement collector includes a body having a structure that is permeable to bone cement and has opening for trapping bone cement. The body is releasably attached to an orthopaedic implant component at a location on the implant at which bone cement is likely to escape during positioning of the orthopaedic implant.

Abstract: A surgical instrument which can be attached to a patient is described. The instrument includes an alignment guide having a distal end and a proximal end. A brace is attached toward the proximal end of the alignment guide for attaching the instrument to a limb of a patient. The brace comprises a pair of opposed members, each member being shaped to hold a respective bony part of the patient on either side of the patient. At least a part of the brace is made of a resilient material allowing the brace to grip the patient in use.

Abstract: An instrument for removing tissue from a bone to create a cavity which is approximately circular in outline in which tissue within a predetermined region within the circular outline is left relatively undisturbed. The instrument includes a rotational drive unit which oscillates through an angle ?. A cutting head can be connected to the drive unit to cause the head to rotate.

Abstract: An instrument is provided for controlling the distribution of bone cement on a surface of a prepared bone so as to prepare the bone to receive a resurfacing prosthesis. The instrument includes a shaft having a shaft axis configured to at least partially disposed within the bore of the bone, and at least one arm coupled to the shaft. The at least one arm is configured to rotate about the shaft axis and shaped so as to contact the cement on the bone when the at least one arm is rotated about the shaft axis.

Abstract: An instrument for use in determining an anterior-posterior dimension of a femur during a minimally invasive surgical procedure includes a body having a base and a member extending upwardly from the base, said member providing a first part of a sliding mechanism. A stylus includes a stylus support providing a second part of a sliding mechanism which can engage with the member to allow relative sliding movement between the stylus and base, and a stylus member mounted on the stylus support. An implant size indicator interacts with the sliding mechanism to be moved relative to a scale by the member to indicate a size of an implant corresponding to the relative positions of the body and stylus.

Abstract: This invention relates to an orthopaedic joint prosthesis implant kit (2). The implant kit comprises a stem component (4) of an orthopaedic joint prosthesis which is intended for articulation with a mating component of the joint. The stem component has a distal end (6) and a proximal end (8), and a neck part (10) at the proximal end, and is configured for fixation in a bone cavity-using bone cement material with the distal end within the cavity and the proximal end at the opening of the cavity, and with the neck part protruding from the cavity towards the mating component of the joint. The implant kit further comprises a positioning kit (18), at least one spacer (20, 22, 24) for location between the wall of the cavity and the stem component at its proximal end, and a delivery device (26).

Abstract: A method of performing a computer-assisted orthopaedic procedure includes securing a sensor support instrument to the patient's bone. A number of sensors are secured to the support instrument. A computer-assisted orthopaedic surgical instrument is also disclosed.

Abstract: A tool (2) for forming a cavity within a bone (6) comprises a shaft (10) and a blade (12) which is pivotally mounted on the shaft towards one end thereof. A rod is fastened to the blade, and can slide within the shaft, to change the pivotal position of the blade relative to the shaft. The tool can include an incremental drive to cause the rod to translate along the shaft when the shaft and rod are rotated.

Abstract: An alignment guide is described that includes a shaft having a longitudinal axis and a housing attachable to the shaft and rotatable about a first axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A guide arm the extends from the housing at a predetermined angle along a second axis. A spirit level is connected to the housing on a plane aligned with the predetermined angle.

Abstract: An implant assembly having an articulating surface and an axial cavity arranged to receive an end of a bone, the axial cavity being generally circular in cross section in a plane normal to the axis of the implant, and including a spacing element detachable from the implant. At least a portion of the interior surface of the cavity is roughened and is arranged to abrade bone when the end of the bone is received in the cavity. The spacing element is arranged to prevent the implant from fully seating on the end of the bone such that the implant and the end of the bone are in a predetermined spaced apart arrangement.

Abstract: A medical implant device comprises a substrate (10) having an undulating surface provided by peaks (12) which are separated by recesses (14). The device includes a porous coating layer provided on the undulating surface of the substrate which comprises a plurality of particles (16). The spacing between adjacent peaks on the surface of the substrate is less than the particle size of the particles. The particles are bonded to the peaks on the surface of the substrate and adjacent particles are bonded to one another.

Abstract: A bone resection device for use in resection of bone during joint replacement surgery includes a handle, an elongate shaft rotatably mounted to the handle, a cutting tool housing attached to the shaft at or towards the distal end of the shaft, at least one cutting tool fastened to the housing, and a pivot control member configured to be at least partially disposed about the elongate shaft, the pivot control member being attached at or toward the distal end of the pivot control member to the at least one cutting tool, the distal end of the pivot control member and the distal end of the shaft being configured to be axially displaceable with respect to one another a predetermined distance, during operation of the device.

Abstract: A computer aided surgery system, method, surgical method and instrument for guiding the positioning of an acetabular cup in a pelvis are described. The position of the transverse acetabular ligament of the pelvis and the position of the acetabular labrum of the pelvis are determined. The orientation of an acetabular plane including the acetabular labrum and the transverse acetabular ligament is calculated. A planned position for the acetabular cup is determined, in which an inlet plane of the cup is substantially parallel to the acetabular plane. The instrument comprises a mounting for attaching the instrument to a patient, a support, a guide defining a longitudinal axis, and for receiving a further instrument bearing the acetabular cup implant, and an adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism can allow the angular orientation of the guide to be adjusted about at least two different axes to allow the inclination and version or anteversion of the longitudinal axis to be altered.