Patent ID: 11937800
Assignee: HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method for joint balancing, comprising the steps of:
inserting a tensor in a first position into a joint to contact a first support structure of the tensor with a first bone of the joint and a second support structure of the tensor with the first bone and a second bone of the joint;
moving the tensor to a second position to distract the first and second bones to increase a distance therebetween using a distraction mechanism, the distraction mechanism being coupled to the second support structure, the second support structure contacting the second bone but not the first bone in the second position, and
tilting the second support structure to vary a medial distance and a lateral distance between the first and second bones, the medial distance being defined between a medial side of the second bone and a medial side of the first bone, and the lateral distance being defined between a lateral side of the second bone and a lateral side of the first bone,
wherein the step of tilting the second support structure includes moving a medial support structure of the second support structure to change the medial distance, and moving a lateral support structure of the second support structure to change the lateral distance.