Surgical instrumentation
US5997543A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 20, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 20, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B17/15
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surgical instrument for aligning a surgical tool includes a tool guide in which is provided an opening for receiving and guiding a portion of the surgical tool and a bone engaging element which is adapted to engage a particular region of a bone. The bone engaging element has a bone engaging surface which has a known orientation relative to the opening in the tool guide. Consequently, when the bone engaging element engages the bone, the opening in the tool guide is correctly aligned with the bone. In a preferred embodiment, the instrumentation is adapted for resecting the distal end of a humerus and the bone engaging element engages the posterior cortex of the distal end of the humerus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.