Patent ID: 8298237

Claim:
A method for multiple incision orthopedic surgery comprising: making a plurality of incisions through the skin of the patient to a plurality of corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portions; supporting an undersurface of a body of an alignment guide on an outer skin surface of the patient, the alignment guide having a plurality of extensions extending from the undersurface of the alignment guide, wherein at least one extension has a patient-specific distal end surface preoperatively configured from a three-dimensional image of the patient's anatomy to nestingly mate and conform in form-fitting manner with a corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portion; percutaneously passing each extension through the corresponding incision; contacting the patient-specific distal end surface of the at least one extension to the corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portion; inserting a tool through a guiding passage extending from the body and along the at least one extension to the distal end surface of the at least one extension; and preparing the corresponding subcutaneous anatomic portion for the surgical procedure using the tool.