A device includes an outer sleeve of flexible material forming an outer conduit extending longitudinally therethrough for the insertion of a bone treatment device (“BTD”) to target sites within a living body. A distal opening of the outer conduit is open so that, when the outer sleeve is in a desired position within the body, BTD is inserted through the outer conduit exits the outer sleeve adjacent to a target portion of a bone. The device also includes an inner sleeve received within the outer sleeve and defining an inner conduit within the outer conduit to form a protective covering. The inner sleeve is split longitudinally. Portions of the inner sleeve on opposite sides of the split are coupled to one another so that a diameter of the inner conduit is adjustable in response to forces exerted thereon by one of BTD and tissues surrounding the outer sleeve.

A method of evaluating a human knee joint, includes: cutting away a proximal portion of the tibia; inserting the gap tensioner between the tibia and the femur; extending the gap tensioner urging the tibia and the femur apart and applying tension to the medial and lateral collateral ligaments; associating at least two tracking markers with the knee joint; providing an electronic receiving device operable to determine a position and orientation of each of the tracking markers relative to the electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the knee joint, using the electronic receiving device to collect position data from the tracking markers; processing the collected position data to produce a geometric model of at least a portion of the knee joint; and computing one or more tool paths passing through the knee joint.

A gap gauge is disclosed for facilitating an arthroplasty procedure on a first bone and a second bone of a patient. The gap gauge may include a first plate positionable in contact with the first bone, a second plate positionable in contact with the second bone. The second plate may be displaced from the first plate by a displacement. The gap gauge may further include a separator connected to the first plate and the second plate, a separation indicator coupled to the separator and configured to indicate the displacement, and a balance indicator connected to at least one of the first plate and the second plate. The balance indicator may indicate a balance status between the first plate and the second plate. The separator can be actuated to adjust the displacement.

Apparatus and methods for replacing a knee joint with an implant prosthesis are described. The method includes distracting the knee, locating the pre-diseased joint line of the knee and referencing cuts to the femur and tibia in the coronal plane relative to the joint line. The method further comprises determining the posterior slope of a cut to the tibia in the sagittal plane such that the gaps between the tibia and femur in extension and flexion are substantially equal. Apparatus for use in the method is described, including a distractor for distracting the joint, a joint level finder for finding the pre-diseased joint line and a flexion gap optimisation device.

A joint distraction lever for measuring a distraction force is disclosed. The joint distraction lever includes a lever body having a handle portion and a working portion. The lever body has a fulcrum extending from a bottom surface of the working portion of the lever body and a distal tip, wherein the distal tip is raised above a top surface of the working portion of the lever body. The joint distraction lever is configured to measure a distraction force applied at the distal tip during a distraction procedure when a torque is applied by an external force applied on the handle portion of the lever body. The joint distraction lever further includes an indicator configured to provide feedback related to the distraction force applied at the distal tip, as measured by the joint distraction lever.

A knee arthroplasty assembly for use in a patient's knee joint including a tibia and a femur is disclosed. The assembly can include a tool, a first accessory, and a second accessory. The tool can include a tibial component configured for placement against the tibia and a femoral component configured for placement against the femur. The femoral component can be moveably coupled to the tibial component to place the patient's knee joint in tension by separating the tibia and the femur. The first accessory can be removeably coupled to the tibial component of the tool. The second accessory can be referenced to the first accessory and can have a reference indicator that references the femur for determining a size of the femur.

Methods and apparatus for performing joint laxity measurement are disclosed. A retractor includes a plurality of spacers, such as plates, that are capable of being moved from a central portion of the retractor by a carriage mechanism. In some cases, the carriage mechanism may press against ramps connected to internal sides of the plates, thereby causing the plates to be displaced outwardly. In other cases, the carriage mechanism may include blades that rotate and press against the internal sides of the plates, thereby causing the plates to be displaced outwardly. The retractor is mounted on a surgical device configured to actuate the carriage mechanism. When the retractor is placed in a joint and the carriage mechanism is actuated, a measurement of the joint laxity may be determined based upon characteristics of the retractor and/or the surgical device.

Surgical instruments, systems, and methods of performing orthopaedic surgical procedures on a patient's knee are disclosed.

The present invention relates to devices and methods for balancing joints, including knee joints. The devices convert unequal forces at a joint to a rotation or displacement of a pointer or gauge. The devices are able to display the relative difference in force between the lateral and medial sides of a joint from flexion to extension. In certain aspects, the devices are useful for balancing the knee during total knee surgery. The devices can be inserted between the trial femoral and tibial components of the knee and measures whether one condyle experiences more force than the other.

A method and system for femoral condylar resection arthroplasty of the knee, which preserves the undamaged meniscus on top of the tibial plateau, whether by arthroscopy or arthrotomy, and only replaces the damaged area of the femoral condyle. In one embodiment, only the distal femoral condyle is replaced and the posterior femoral condyle remains intact. In another embodiment, both the distal and posterior femoral condyle are replaced. The method and system include providing a combined, one-piece Intra-condylar insert and distal femoral cutting block, and placing the intercondylar insert between articular surfaces of a distal femoral condyle and a tibial plateau with the knee in extension. The method and system also includes a box retractor having four right angle blades, two for medial structures and two for lateral structures. The blades are at two depths, shallow and deep. The components of the system are preferably of plastic material.