FIELD

The invention relates to methods, implants, and instruments for performing an osteotomy.

BACKGROUND

Various conditions may affect skeletal joints such as the deterioration, elongation, shortening, or rupture of soft tissues, cartilage, and/or bone associated with the joint and consequent laxity, pain, and/or deformity. It is often desirable to change the angular alignment of a bone or a portion of a bone to restore function and/or reduce pain. To this end, various osteotomy procedures and instruments have been proposed. For example, osteotomies have been performed throughout the body to make various angular adjustments such as in a tibia, fibula, femur, pelvis, humerus, ulna, radius, metacarpal, metatarsal, and other bones. In some cases it is desirable to induce the fusion of a skeletal joint, i.e. an arthrodesis, in a predetermined position. The present invention provides improved osteotomy and arthrodesis methods, implants, and instruments.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides systems and methods for performing an osteotomy. An osteotomy system may facilitate performance of an osteotomy between a metatarsus and a cuneiform defining a metatarsocuneiform joint of a human foot.

In one aspect of the invention, the osteotomy system may include an osteotomy guide with a joint alignment feature that facilitates alignment of the osteotomy guide with the metatarsocuneiform joint via insertion of an element into the metatarsocuneiform joint, one or more fixation elements that facilitate fixation of the osteotomy guide to at least one of the metatarsus and the cuneiform, and a first guide feature spaced apart from the joint alignment feature. With the osteotomy guide positioned to align the joint alignment feature with the metatarsocuneiform joint, the first guide feature may be positioned to guide a first cutter to cut the metatarsus to remove part of the metatarsus.

In another aspect of the invention, the osteotomy system may include an osteotomy guide with a first guide feature positionable to guide a first cutter to cut the metatarsus to remove part of the metatarsus, and a second guide feature that, with first guide feature positioned to guide the first cutter to cut the metatarsus, is positioned to guide one of the first cutter and a second cutter to remove part of the cuneiform to create a gap between the metatarsus and the cuneiform. The first guide feature and the second guide feature may be on a one-piece guide body.

In another aspect of the invention, the osteotomy system may include an osteotomy guide with a first guide feature that is positionable to guide a first cutter to cut the metatarsus to remove part of the metatarsus, and a second guide feature that, with the first guide feature unobstructed and positioned to guide the first cutter to cut the metatarsus, is positioned to guide one of the first cutter and a second cutter to remove part of the cuneiform to create a gap between the metatarsus and the cuneiform.

