Patent attributes
An apparatus has been developed to enable a surgeon to perform multiple orthopedic surgical operations, such as orthopedic surgical resectioning, total joint replacement and fixation of fractures, based on a single reference point. The apparatus is adjustable to conform to the needs and dimensions of individual patients and the surgical procedure(s) to be performed. The apparatus includes a support adapted for insertion into and alignment within the medullary cavity of a patient's bone. The support is capable of expanding into the bone so that the support is fixed within the bone and alignable to the bone. The support may be implanted to align a fractured bone, or extend a distance beyond its fixed position within the medullary cavity to provide a known surgical reference point. The apparatus includes one or more cutting guides mountable on the support and used in performing the desired surgical procedure(s). The cutting guides are positionable with respect to the known surgical reference point created by the support which enables the user to accurately position and secure various instruments at the desired position about the patient's anatomy.
