Abstract: A surgical site retractor is configured to retract tissue, such as in an intercostal procedure. The retractor may be formed from non-radiopaque material for improved monitoring via x-ray imaging. The retractor may have a rigid retractor and a soft tissue retractor, where the rigid retractor has a plurality of legs and the soft tissue retractor extends between the legs to prevent soft tissue from extending between said legs. The retractor may have a bendable arm with an implement holder, such as distal cuff or clip adapted to resiliently hold an implement such as a tube of an elongated port-access device. A method involves partly installing the surgical site retractor, expanding the surgical site retractor, deploying the surgical implement from outside the body through the incision and into the patient, resiliently capturing the implement with the holder of the arm, and bending the arm to hold the implement in a desired position.

Abstract: A bone plate sized and shaped for fixation to a phalangeal bone includes a head extending from a first end to a second end and having first, second third and fourth fixation element holes extending therethrough and arranged in a diamond configuration on the head, an outer wall of the head having a diamond shape corresponding to the diamond configuration, a bone contacting surface of the head being contoured to conform to the anatomy of a dorsal surface of a first metacarpal, the contour being curved to be seated over a protuberance at a head of the first metacarpal and a shaft extending from the head, the shaft including an elongated fixation element hole elongated in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bone plate.

Abstract: A fixation assembly for securing parts of a sternum has a first section having a first attachment structure for securing the first section to a first sternum part. The fixation assembly includes a second section having a second attachment structure for securing the second section to a second sternum part. A mating arrangement is provided defining a mating direction and a predetermined relative position between the first and second sections in a plane perpendicular to the mating direction. At least one holding member is provided for detachably holding the first and second sections in an abutting relationship in the predetermined relative position. This may be achieved in one variant by simultaneous engagement of the first and second sections substantially along the mating direction.

Abstract: A method of preparing a knee joint for a prosthesis in a patient includes mating a patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface of a femoral alignment guide onto a corresponding three-dimensional femoral joint surface of the patient. The patient-specific three-dimensional curved inner surface is preoperatively configured from medical scans of the knee joint of the patient. First and second holes are drilled into an anterior portion of the femoral joint surface through corresponding first and second guiding apertures of the femoral alignment guide.

Abstract: A bone plate for fixation to a phalanx includes a head extending from a first end to a second end and having first and second fixation element holes extending therethrough, a connection portion extending from the second end of the head to a third end along the central longitudinal axis, the connection portion including an oblong hole elongated in a direction parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and a shaft extending from the third end of the connection portion to a fourth end along the central longitudinal axis. The shaft includes third and fourth fixation element holes extending along the central longitudinal axis. The shaft includes a plurality of first projections and a plurality of second projections. The first and second projections include corresponding projection fixation element holes extending therethrough and being connected to the shaft. The first and second projections are alternatingly provided on the shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an article comprising a first screw and a second screw, the first screw being reversibly attached to the second screw such that a longitudinal axis of the first screw coincides with or is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second screw; the first screw and the second screw each comprising a biodegradable composition, the biodegradable composition comprising a metal or metal alloy comprising magnesium, strontium, zinc, calcium or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. Methods of making and using the article are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: An access system is provided for establishing an access path to a surgical site within a patient. The access system comprises an access portal defining a working channel with a central axis, and an adaptor with a mating section mountable to the access portal. The adaptor is selectively rotatable about the central axis. The access portal includes a plurality of openings and the adaptor includes a plurality of projections, each of the projections and openings being arranged so that, in a first orientation, the openings and projections align to allow mounting of the adaptor to the access portal and, in a second orientation, the openings and projections do not align to prevent disassociation between the adaptor and the access portal. The adaptor also includes a holder for a viewing device, the viewing device being movable with the adaptor about the access portal and vertically translatable relative to the access portal.

Abstract: A surgical access system including a tissue distraction assembly and a tissue retraction assembly, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.

Abstract: In some examples, an apparatus includes a working surface including at least one material removal member. The material removal member is configured to remove at least some of a first portion of a first material. A protrusion extends outwardly from the working surface. The protrusion extends beyond the at least one material removal member by a first distance. The protrusion is configured to inhibit the at least one material removal member from removing at least a second portion of the first material. The second portion has a thickness substantially equal to the first distance.

Abstract: A tool (1, 31) for cutting bone comprises an elongate blade (7, 37) connectable to a generator of longitudinal-mode ultrasonic vibrations. The blade (7, 37) has two lateral cutting edges (9, 10) linked by a rounded distal tip (8). A series of triangular teeth (13) extends along each cutting edge (9, 10) and the distal tip (8). The blade (37) may taper towards each cutting edge (9,10) and the distal tip (8). A variant of the tool (21) comprises an elongate part-cylindrical blade (27) connectable to a generator of torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations. The blade (27) has a cutting edge at its distal tip (28) provided with a plurality of triangular teeth (23). All forms of the tool (1, 21, 31) are particularly suitable for cutting cancellous bone around an implant to be removed during revision of a joint arthroplasty.

Abstract: A surgical blade (180) designed for use with an acetabular cup remover (30). The blade includes a body (182) from which teeth (190) extend distally forward. The body and teeth are disposed around the section of a sphere. On each side of the longitudinal axis of the blade body there is an outer tooth and at least two inner teeth. The teeth are further shaped so that one each side of the longitudinal axis through the blade body there are at least two adjacent inner teeth that have rake surfaces located along axes that, extending from the outer surface of the blade body to the inner surface of the blade body, do not intersect.

Abstract: A system includes an ultrasonic instrument and a bone insertion element. The instrument includes an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic blade. The ultrasonic transducer is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The ultrasonic blade is in acoustic communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that the ultrasonic transducer drives the ultrasonic blade to vibrate ultrasonically to form an opening within bone. The bone insertion element is configured to be inserted within the opening formed by the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for securing tissue to a bone comprising a novel screw anchor for insertion into a bone by a novel rotational driver. The screw anchor and rotation driver enables the screw to be completely embedded into the bone while permitting a suture to be threaded through a transverse aperture in the screw. The rotation driver facilitates insertion and engagement of a capture with one of a series of protuberance formed along a length of a suture. In addition, the method is disclosed of forming the series of protuberance.

Abstract: A surgical instrument with a first contact element and a second contact element for spreading tissue, bone, or the like. The instrument has a stationary base part and a sliding part, which is arranged on the base part in a longitudinally movable manner. The first contact element is integrally molded on the distal end of the base part, and the second contact element is connected to the base part and to the sliding part via a first arm and to the base part via a second arm. The first arm is arranged on the second contact element via a first pivot axis, on the base part via a second pivot axis, and on the sliding part via a third pivot axis, and the second arm is arranged on the second contact element via a fourth pivot axis and on the first contact element via a fifth pivot axis.

Abstract: The present invention is a bone growth stimulating and promoting cytokine type biological implant preferably comprising PTH coated with a controlled release biodegradable coating that is implanted preferably in the concave side of a scoliotically curved spine in combination with a bone growth inhibiting type biological implant preferably comprising methotrexate or like anti-metabolite coated with a controlled release biodegradable coating that is implanted preferably in the convex side of a scoliotically curved spine. The insertion of the biological implant is highly non-invasion, especially as compared to more conventional spine surgical methods, and the biological implant does not decrease spinal mobility or spinal range of motion.

Abstract: A system and method for the surgical correction of a bunion deformity allows for correction of a bunion deformity. The method includes: drilling a hole across a first metatarsal and through a second metatarsal; placing a tube from outside the first metatarsal through the hole across the first and second metatarsals; pushing a first button through the tube until the first button exits the tube through a medial side of the second metatarsal; flipping the first button to engage the first button against the second metatarsal and applying a lateral tension on the suture strand; manually pushing the first metatarsal and the second metatarsal together to correct intermetatarsal angular deformity; pulling free ends of the suture strand of the suture-button construct to advance a second button of the suture-button construct and to engage the second button against the first metatarsal; and securing the second button against the first metatarsal.

Abstract: A cut block positioning jig including a first alignment member, a second alignment member, and both first and second guide members. The first alignment member is movable towards and away from a patient's bone to which the positioning jig is mounted to arrange the jig at a predetermined position relative to the bone based on x-rays of the patient. The second alignment member is movable towards and away from the bone to arrange the jig at the predetermined position relative to the bone. The first and second guide members are configured to direct cut block support members to the bone to couple a cut block to the bone to provide the bone with patient-specific cuts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical method of attachment of a first bony segment in relation with a second bony segment, both segments belonging to a same bone, which comprises the steps of: milling said bone and cutting it partially, to separate it in two bony segments linked together by a bony hinge distracting both bony segments around said hinge; fitting an osteotomy implant into the cavity thus obtained; attaching said implant to both bony segments; wherein it comprises the preoperative steps of: determining the position and the direction of the future partial cut, calculating its depth, calculating the relative three-dimensional positions of both bony segments to obtain the final desired alignment of the two bony segments, choosing among several osteotomy implants, one which is wider than the largest distance between the facing sides of said bony segments after distraction, determining the position and the shape of the future implant reception cavity and calculating its dimensions, deducing therefrom

Abstract: An orthopedic device includes a monolithic patient-specific guide. The patient-specific guide includes a three-dimensional contact surface preoperatively configured from medical scans of a specific patient as a negative surface of a medial portion of a proximal femoral bone of the patient according to a preoperative surgical plan for the patient. The guide also includes a proximal planar surface configured for guiding a resection of a femoral neck of the patient, and a scale formed on the planar surface. The scale is configured for indicating a preoperatively planned femoral version of a femoral stem implant and deviations therefrom.

Abstract: The device, tool, instrument and the like, for patellar resurfacing, according to the invention, comprises at least one bearing framework (IN), which incorporates a cutting slot (Tpg) and a lower support guide (G2) which may assume different positions with respect to the center of the patellar articular surface. The device is completed by an upper support guide (G1) of the patella for maintaining the shape-constraint coupling between the bearing framework and the patella. Advantageously the device uses the peripheral surface (and not the central one) of said patella, guaranteeing minimal invasiveness and perfect visibility.