Patent ID: 7104997

Claim:
An orthopedic cutting guide apparatus suitable for use in preparing the distal end of a femur in knee arthroplasty, said femur having an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and a distal-most end surface, said apparatus comprising: a. a cutting guide block having an anterior portion and a distal portion, said cutting guide block further having a medial side and a lateral side integral with said anterior and distal portions, said distal portion further having a posterior wall integral with said medial and lateral wall; b. said anterior portion having a first horizontal slot communicating therethrough and designed to accommodate a cutting saw, said first slot sufficiently angled therein to allow for forming an anterior chamfered cut on the anterior surface of said femur with said cutting saw; c. said anterior portion further having a second horizontal slot communicating therethrough and positioned subjacent to said first horizontal slot, said second slot designed to provide a substantially straight anterior cut into the anterior surface of said femur with said cutting saw; d. said distal portion having a first horizontal slot designed to provide a straight posterior cut into said femur with said cutting saw, a second horizontal slot subjacent to said first horizontal slot of said distal portion and sufficiently angled to provide a chamfered posterior cut into said femur, and a third horizontal slot subjacent to said second horizontal slot of said distal portion and configured to provide a second straight posterior cut into said femur with said cutting saw; and e. at least one stabilizing spacer designed for placement between said posterior wall of said distal portion and the proximal surface of the femur for rotational and flexion gap correction and verification.