A method of evaluating soft tissue of a human joint which includes two or more bones and ligaments, wherein the ligaments are under anatomical tension to connect the bones together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint, the method includes: inserting into the joint a tensioner-balancer that includes a means of controlling a distraction force; providing an electronic receiving device; moving the joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the joint, controlling the distraction force, and collecting displacement and distraction load data of the bones; processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of the joint, wherein the model includes: ligament displacement data along a range of flexion angles and ligament load data along a range of flexion angles; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.

Systems and methods may be used to perform robot-aided surgery. A system may include a robotic controller to monitor a position and orientation of an end effector coupled to an end of a robotic arm. The robotic controller may apply a force to a bone using the end effector, such as via a soft tissue balancing component. The robotic controller may determine soft tissue balance using information from a tracking system, such as a position of a first tracker affixed to the bone. The soft tissue balance may be output, such as to a display device.

A bone cut system comprising a distractor, one or more drill guides, one or more bone cutting jigs, a computer, and a display. The distractor includes electronic circuitry configured to control a measurement process and transmit measurement data. The distractor can include a magnetic distance sensor, a magnetic angle sensor, and load sensors configured to measure a distraction distance, medial-lateral angle, load magnitude applied to the distractor, and position of load in real-time. The distractor equalizes a medial and lateral compartment of a knee joint in flexion or extension at a predetermined loading. Guide holes are drilled to support cuttings with the medial and lateral compartments equalized. The distractor is configured to support one or more bone cuts using cutting jigs coupled to the guide holes that supports installation of a prosthetic component in alignment with a mechanical axis of a leg.

Devices, systems, and methods for measuring a force applied to a joint during a surgical procedure are disclosed. The device includes an insertion tool, a handle, and one or more force indicators. The insertion tool includes an insertion end and a base end. The one or more force indicators may be attached to the insertion tool and the handle. The insertion end of the device may be inserted into a joint during a surgical procedure and used to apply a force to the joint and/or measure the force using the one or more force indicators when the force is applied.

This disclosure relates to surgical instruments for alignment of bone cuts during surgeries on joints and in particular, during total replacement of joints. The surgical instrument comprises a contact surface shaped to fit a prepared end of the first bone of the joint and an artificial articular surface that imitates the native articular surface of the first bone that has been removed by the preparation of the first bone. The artificial articular surface is pivotable in relation to the surgical instrument. The instrument can be fitted onto the prepared bone and coronal balancing can be performed. After fixing a further instrument to the second bone the joint can be balanced in flexion. At the optimal flexion angle, the slope and the cutting depth can be adjusted to achieve alignment. The further instrument is then used as a guide for cutting the second bone at the resulting cutting depth, slope and varus/valgus angle.

An orthopaedic surgical system includes a sensor module for determining the joint force of a patient's knee joint and an adaptor for coupling various tibial trialing components to the sensor module. The sensor module includes a tibial paddle to which the adaptor is configured to couple. The adaptor and tibial paddle include structures that control the orientation at which the adaptor is attachable to the tibial paddle. Some tibial trialing components may be positioned over the adaptor in a mobile orientation that facilities rotation of the tibial trialing component relative to the tibial paddle or a fixed orientation that restricts the rotation of the tibial trialing component.

An orthopedic instrument for knee arthroplasty includes an anterior-posterior sizer assembly, a tensor assembly and a rotation mechanism. The sizer assembly includes a stylus, a sizer body including medial and lateral posterior feet extending substantially perpendicularly from the sizer body, and a sizer slider that can slide relative to the sizer body along a medial-lateral direction relative to a patient's knee. The tensor assembly includes a tensor frame having a central portion, medial and lateral wings extending at an angle from the central portion, and medial and lateral posterior feet extending substantially perpendicularly to the central portion. The rotation mechanism includes a portion coupled to the tensor frame of the tensor assembly and a portion coupled to the sizer body. The rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the medial and lateral posterior feet of the sizer body relative to the tensor frame toward a lateral side of the patient's knee.

A knee joint implant is capable of resolving issues of conventional cementless or uncemented implants. The knee joint implant improves fixing force of the implant in a vertical direction and provides improved initial fixation for the implant.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a joint distractor, including: a stationary portion configured to fix a first body portion on a first side of a body joint, and an extendable portion configured to be urged against a second body portion on a second side of the body joint, and wherein extension of the extendable portion urges the extendable portion onto the second body portion away from the first body portion thereby forming a gap between articulating surfaces of the first and second body portions within the joint.

Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for performing joint balancing procedures. The apparatus may have femoral paddle and a tibial paddle attached to a housing. The housing may include a distraction mechanism to vary the space between the femoral paddle and the tibial paddle. The tibial paddle may lie entirely within the femoral paddle in a closed position. A load sensor may be placed in the femoral paddle to measure ligament tension. The apparatus may be inserted into a knee joint and positioned to remain within the knee joint during flexion and extension of the knee without everting a patella.