Patent ID: 11877736
Assignee: DSB CO PTY LTD
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method for assisting a surgeon during knee surgery on a patient including the steps of:
positioning a spacer device adjacent a femur and a tibia of a knee joint of the patient, the spacer device comprising: (a) a housing that defines a central axis and includes an upper wall having an outer surface and an inner surface and a pair of opposed side walls that extend axially and distally from a respective end portion of the inner surface of the upper wall, each of the side walls comprising an inwardly projecting tab at a distal end thereof, the inner surface, the side walls and the inwardly projecting tabs defining a pair of channels therebetween, wherein the housing comprises first and second portions that allow for independent movement of the first portion relative to the second portion; and (b) a support portion having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion capable of being at least partially disposed between the side walls of the housing and the first end portion including a first pair of lateral projections extending outwardly therefrom and the second end portion comprising a second pair of lateral projections extending outwardly therefrom and capable of being at least partly disposed and axially slidable within the pair of channels of the side walls that facilitates axial slidable movement of the support portion relative to the housing; and (c) an electronic force sensor; wherein the electronic force sensor, the outer surface of the upper wall and/or the first end portion of the support portion are suitable for positioning adjacent a distal femoral surface, a posterior femoral surface and/or a proximal tibial surface; and
slidably moving the support portion in an axial direction relative to the housing so as to define: (i) a first space and a second space between the first pair of lateral projections and respective inwardly projecting tabs of the side walls; and/or (ii) an inner space between the inner surface of the upper wall of the housing and the second end portion of the support portion.