Patent ID: 9173666
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for cutting or resurfacing an outer bone surface of a bone of a patient comprising: mating a patient-specific surface of a patient-specific alignment guide on the outer bone surface, the patient-specific surface preoperatively configured as a negative surface of the outer bone surface; inserting a reference pin into the bone through a guiding aperture of the patient-specific alignment guide; removing the patient-specific alignment guide without removing the reference pin; coupling a resurfacing instrument to the reference pin to register the resurfacing instrument relative to the outer bone surface; and operating a cutting effector coupled to the resurfacing instrument to resurface the outer bone surface, wherein operating the cutting effector further includes operating the cutting effector having a patient-specific cutting surface to form a patient-specific cutting surface mirroring the outer bone surface to remove cartilage.