Abstract: A set of instruments and method for use in knee replacement surgery, specifically to make the necessary femoral resections is described. The simplified set of instruments allows the necessary femoral resections to be performed with fewer instruments, and with fewer necessary steps for the surgeon to take. The set of instruments includes a three-dimensional jig which references the anterior and posterior femoral condyles to allow determinations as to alignment, placement, and prosthesis size before any bone cuts are made.

Abstract: A surgical kit for performing a tibial osteotomy is provided, comprising a pair of mounting pins for attaching, an osteotomy guide in a predetermined relation to a tibia; an osteotomy guide, comprising a transverse slot, defining a transverse cutting plane, adapted to receive and guide a transverse cutting blade for making a transverse cut into the tibia, and a plurality of oblique slots angularly offset from the transverse slot, each oblique slot defining an oblique cutting plane, adapted to receive and guide an oblique cutting blade for making a selected oblique cut into the tibia, wherein the intersection of each oblique cutting plane with the transverse cutting plane defines a wedge of bone which may be removed from the tibia.

Abstract: A medullary pin is described for intermedullary use in the healing of damage to bones, in particular the healing of fractures of tubular bones. The medullary pin is insertable into the medullary tube of the bone and can be secured to the bone with fixation means at both ends. At least one end of the pin is formed as a fastening part which can be fixed to the outer side of the bone.

Abstract: A bone plate for stabilizing the anterior column of the spine has a lower curved surface and an upper surface having two intersecting planes in each of which is a screw hole, the axes of the holes being skewed relative to one another. A bone screw used to secure the plate, has a single start buttress thread near the tip and a two start machine thread near the head, the threads being continuous and of constant pitch.

Abstract: A powered bone cutting saw is used from within the intramedullary canal of a bone. A cutting blade is inserted through a bored intramedullary canal to a predetermined cutting depth. A motor is coupled to the cutting blade to rotate the cutting blade. The blade is extended to a cutting position and operated by a surgeon to cut the bone radially from the inside outwardly, transversely, to the intramedullary canal. Gearing selectable by the surgeon permits the blade to oscillate. The motor can also be coupled to a reamer tip for boring the intramedullary canal. The apparatus, including the reamer tip, can be cannulated to accept a guide wire.

Abstract: An intraarticular drill guide having a cannulated guide shaft and a sliding shaft mounted for both reciprocal movement and axial rotation. A hook attached to the distal end of the sliding shaft is provided for locating against a bone positioned between it and the cannulated guide shaft. The drill guide has a handle for pulling back on the sliding shaft to force the tip of the hook into the far side of the bone.The method of the invention involves pressing the cannulated guide shaft against a bone through an arthroscopic portal. The sliding shaft with a hook at its end is inserted into the joint. Pulling back on the sliding shaft holds the bone between the hook and the cannulated guide shaft. A drill is operated through the cannulated guide shaft. A tissue repair is completed in accordance with the invention by passing suture ends through the tunnel that is drilled and tying them about a button anchor. The button anchor of the invention is bioabsorbable made from polyglactic acid.

Abstract: A universal and eccentric fixation mechanism for an orthopedic surgery comprises a universal receiving seat, an eccentric collar, a rod body, and an urging and fixing element. The eccentric collar is received in a spherical hollow receiving seat of the universal receiving seat and provided with an urging slit. The eccentric collar has a hollow portion in which the rod body is held such that one end of the rod body is fastened with a bone fixing element. The slit of the eccentric collar can be urged to close by the urging and fixing element so that the rod body is held securely in the hollow portion of the eccentric collar. The hollow portion of the eccentric collar is cylindrical in shape and has an axis deviating from the spherical center of the eccentric collar of a spherical construction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tool for inserting a fiducial marker. It comprises a housing and guide assembly, an obturator assembly, a drill for forming a bore hole at an implantation site, and a marker inserter for inserting a marker into the bore hole. The housing and guide assembly comprise a cylindrical housing having a bore provided therein, and a guide tube that is disposed and shiftable within the bore of the housing. The obturator assembly, drill and marker inserter are insertable in the distal end of the guide tube and shiftable therein.

Abstract: Ancillary instruments for the reconstruction of a posterior cruciate knee ligament by drilling one or two tibial canals using a surgical operation performed from the front. The instrument set includes a system for protecting the posterior surface of the upper tibia end and an aiming device for guiding at least one drill. The protection system comprises at least one bent tube removably coupled by an extension portion to a locking handle for securing the tube through the intercondylar fossa of the femur on the posterior surface of the upper end of the tibia, so that the distal end of the bent tube serves as the stop to the drill guided by the aiming device and emerging from the tibial bone canal, and the bent tube can form, together with a rectilinear wire feed-through tube disposed in the place of the drill, a continuous canal for guiding a metallic loop used to draw the prosthetic posterior cruciate knee ligament from the anterior surface of the tibia to the femur insertion point.

Abstract: Apparatus for the osteosynthesis of bone fragments, in particular for the fixation of bone fractures comprises a retaining strap that wraps around the fracture or the bone in the region of the site to be treated. The retaining strap is in the form of a flat strip typically in the nature of a hose- or pipe-clamp. At one end of the retaining strap, which is intended to be that end which contacts the bone, there is provided a receiving element through which the other end of the retaining strap can be passed and fixed in position to hold the strap in place under tension when wrapped around the bone. The receiving element is mounted so that it can be rotated about an axis substantially perpendicular to the flat surface of the retaining strap.

Abstract: For a rapid and accurate performance of surgery for the immobilization of vertebrae an implantation system is suggested in the case of which the surgical implements such as drills, chisels, bone milling or routing implements, implant guide implements, cooperate with an ancillary device, which renders possible an exact and speedy mounting of the respectively desired implement. The ancillary device may be an elongated guide instrument which comprises guide rails or a guide cylinder and a spreading device. A spacer, which is inserted into a gap between vertebrae after the same have been urged apart, may also be designed in the form of an auxiliary device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved high speed rotary bone cutter comprising a drive shaft and a cutting head. The drive shaft has an elongated housing rotably mounted on the shaft. The housing has an enclosed fluid passageway around the shaft for the flow of cutting fluid. The passageway insulates the flowing fluid from the high rotational speed of the drive shaft.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an adjustable provisional device for aligning a joint center distance of a joint prosthesis to a natural joint center distance. The device includes a neck having a groove and a main body with a bore for receiving the neck.

Abstract: A modular intramedullary nail includes three connectable sections that are connectable end to end. The three sections include an upper proximal nail component having an open ended bore. The second section is a central nail section that is an elongated curved nail component having an open ended longitudinal bore. The third section is a lower distal nail component having an elongated open ended longitudinal bore. The nail components are connected and the end using corresponding conical socket and conical projecting end portions of adjoining end nail components that can be fitted together and secured upon impact. Upon assembly, the connections are self orienting, providing corresponding tooled "flat" portions adjacent the respective conical socket and conical projecting end portions of the nail components. This interlocking tooled flats align and abut upon assembly so that the adjoining nail components only align in one relative rotational position.

Abstract: A distal femoral resector guide includes a generally T-shaped body with a saw guide at the distal end and a proximal stem structure. A rod extends from the saw guide and is intended to engage the intercondylar notch. The stem structure may be adjusted in length and includes a proximal end which may be shifted anteriorly and posteriorly with respect to the rest of the stem structure to accommodate distal femurs of differing configurations. A site line may be formed on the top surface of the stem structure and saw guide which includes an elongated groove filled with a material such as oxides of titanium which will glow under the presence of strong light. The inventive guide may be used in conjunction with a laser alignment mechanism to improve the accuracy of resection.

Abstract: Two posterior spinal fusion members are secured to a plurality of vertebrae which constitute a spine. The posterior spinal fusion members are fixed to both sides of the spinous processes of the vertebrae. A fixing instrument is attached to each posterior spinal fusion member. The fixing instrument includes a rod-shaped connecting member and two hooks slidably attached to both ends of the connecting member. Elongated holes are formed in the portions of the connecting member where the hooks are attached. Male screws are driven through the elongated holes. The surface around the opening of each elongated hole where the head of the associated male screw slides is formed as the bottom of a recess which is shallow on the associated end side of the fixing instrument and is deep on the connecting member side.

Abstract: A distal femoral cutting instrument includes an intramedullary rod for referencing the patient's intramedullary canal. A valgus block with a flat reference surface mounts to the intramedullary rod at a bore of the valgus block. The bore of the block has a slant with respect to the flat reference surface on the valgus block. The reference surface defines a line that is normal to the mechanical axis of the patient while the bore of the valgus block tracks the patient's biomechanical axis. A distal femoral cutting block removably attaches to the valgus block and provides a flat cutting guide surface for shaping the patient's distal femur. The valgus block, intramedullary rod, and a stylus (for connecting the valgus block and cutting together) are removed as a unit before shaping of the distal femur. An indexing system includes a gauge having a series of openings corresponding to "anterior" referencing and to "posterior" referencing.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an intramedullary guide rod assembly for use in orthopaedic surgery for aligning one or more milling or cutting guides. A guide member is pivotally connected to an intramedullary guide rod intermediate and proximal and distal ends thereof. An alignment mechanism selectively locks the guide member to the intramedullary guide rod between discrete predetermined positions relative the guide rod.

Abstract: An apparatus for stiffening and/or correcting part of the vertebral column consisting of at least two vertebral is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least two screw-shaped retaining devices (12), each of which is fixed to one of the vertebrae in the affected part of the vertebral column. A compression or distraction rod (32) connects the retaining devices (12) to one another. The compression or distraction rod (32) includes a rod-shaped connecting element (20) connected to the retaining devices (12). The rod-shaped connecting element has at least one distance element (34) and arranged and mounted on such element between the two adjacent retaining devices (12) so as to maintain the distance between these two retaining devices (12). The connecting element (20) at one end (36) has a screw thread (38) and at the other end (42) has either a screw thread (44) or, where appropriate, a flange-like portion (50) to fix in position or brace the retaining devices (12) and distance element (34, 34', 34", 34'", 34"").

Abstract: Spinal implants with features for anchorage in or onto bone or to connectors, have a body with an upwardly opening channel receiving a spinal rod therein. The channel has sidewalls with a curved slot in each of the sidewalls. A cap is mounted on the implant body and has a central portion received in the channel and has tongues at each side of the central portion, the tongues being received in the curved slots in the sidewalls. A set screw threaded into the cap engages the spinal rod and clamps the rod between the body and the set screw and fixes the cap to the body. The curved slots enable installation of the cap in minimal space measured lengthwise of the rod. Each implant body has an integral bone screw, or bone hook, or lateral connector rod or parallel spinal rod receiving body thereon.