Patent ID: 11344421

Abstract:
An exemplary method, and corresponding instrumentation, of balancing the ligaments of a knee during flexion is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes forming initial resection cuts in a patient' femur and tibia, and subsequently placing the knee in flexion to form a flexion space between the posterior femoral condyles and the resected tibial surface. The method may further include sequentially inserting one or more flexion spacers into the flexion space, and selecting the flexion spacer that provides the ligaments with equal tension. The flexion spacers may include a medial platform and a lateral platform wherein, for at least one of the flexion spacers, the lateral platform has a greater thickness than the medial platform. The method may further include engaging an alignment sizing tool with the selected flexion spacer, forming a pair of pin holes in the femur, and mounting a cutting block to the femur using the pin holes.