Patent ID: 7901411

Claim:
A method for locating a site on a patient's hip suitable for establishing a proper skin incision for a surgical approach to a hip for performing a hip arthroplasty, the method comprising: providing an incision locator, the incision locator comprising at least one location indicator and at least one incision indicator at an oblique angle with respect to a line extending along said location indicator, the location indicator configured to conform to the patient's skin along an external surface of the patient's hip and to align with an anatomical feature, and the incision indicator configured to guide a proper placement of an opening surgical skin incision for a surgical approach to the hip for the hip arthroplasty when the location indicator is aligned, wherein the location indicator is configured to align with said anatomical feature prior to making any incision and the incision indicator is configured to guide a proper placement of an opening surgical skin incision prior to making any incision, such that the location indicator and incision indicator are both capable of being used before any other incision is made; identifying an external landmark indicating the location of the anatomical feature; aligning the location indicator with the anatomical feature; making an opening skin incision at an oblique angle to the line extending along the location indicator and in the proper location for the surgical approach for the hip arthroplasty as guided by the incision indicator; and completing the surgical procedure.