Patent ID: 8500746

Claim:
A method for locating holes for distal locking of an implanted intramedullary nail, comprising the steps of: implanting into a bone an intramedullary nail having a proximal end, a distal end, and a distal locking hole; connecting the proximal end of the intramedullary nail to a proximal end of an aiming arm, the aiming arm having an elongated body constructed substantially of radiolucent material and having a transverse hole extending therethrough; positioning an X ray source such that an X ray beam emitted therefrom is coplanar with a plane including a central axis of a transverse hole of the aiming arm by aligning a first radiopaque marker positioned on a portion of the front surface of the aiming arm with a second radiopaque marker positioned on a portion of the back surface of the aiming arm, the first radiopaque marker having a different shape than the second radiopaque marker; determining based on an X ray snap shot a lateral misalignment between the transverse hole and the distal locking hole; and inserting into the aiming arm an insert having an offset transverse hole laterally offset from a longitudinal axis of the aiming arm such that the offset transverse hole aligns with the distal locking hole.