Patent ID: 8377066
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of preparing an elbow joint for an implant, the method comprising: mounting a patient-specific alignment guide including a three-dimensional engagement surface custom-made by computer imaging to a corresponding closely conforming bone portion of a distal humerus of a patient's elbow joint; inserting into the distal humerus a first pin along an anatomic axis of the elbow joint through a first longitudinal guiding bore of the patient-specific alignment guide; inserting into the distal humerus a second pin through a second longitudinal guiding bore of the patient-specific alignment guide, the first and second longitudinal guiding bores being parallel to one another; removing the patient-specific alignment guide without removing the first and second pins; mounting a first resection guide on the distal humerus of the patient, wherein the first resection guide includes a first cutting component, a first guiding component and an L-shaped connector coupling the first cutting component to the first guiding component; abutting the first cutting component against a posterior surface of the distal humerus of the patient such that first and second elongated cutting slots of the first cutting component are aligned along a medial-lateral direction of the distal humerus; sliding the first guiding component over the first and second pins and abutting a lateral side of the distal humerus; and resecting the distal humerus through one of the first and second elongated cutting slots and forming a distal cut surface for receiving an implant.