Bone positioning and cutting system and method

Abstract

A bone positioning device can include a fixation pin for attachment to a first bone and a fixation pin for attachment to a second bone. A first block having an aperture can be included for slidably receiving a fixation pin, and a second block having an aperture can be included for slidably receiving a fixation pin. A multi-axis joint can connect the first block and the second block, where the multi-axis joint allows the first second blocks to move with respect to each other about more than one axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bone positioning device, comprising:
 a first fixation pin for attachment to a first bone;   a second fixation pin for attachment to a second bone;   a first block having a first aperture for slidably receiving the first fixation pin;   a second block having a second aperture for slidably receiving the second fixation pin; and   a multi-axis joint connecting the first block and the second block, the multi-axis joint allowing the first block and the second block to move with respect to each other about more than one axis.   
     
     
         2 . The bone positioning device of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-axis joint further includes a link having a first end rotatably connected to the first block and a second end rotatably connected to the second block. 
     
     
         3 . The bone positioning device of  claim 2 , wherein the first end includes a first ball received within a first socket of the first block, and the second end includes a second ball received within a second socket of the second block. 
     
     
         4 . The bone positioning device of  claim 2 , further including a first end set screw extending through the first block and positioned against the first end. 
     
     
         5 . The bone positioning device of  claim 2 , further including a second end set screw extending through the second block and positioned against the second end. 
     
     
         6 . The bone positioning device of  claim 1 , further including a first set screw extending through the first block into the first aperture and positioned against the first fixation pin, and a second set screw extending through the second block into the second aperture and positioned against the second fixation pin. 
     
     
         7 . The bone positioning device of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second set screws are positioned perpendicular to first and second fixation pins, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The bone positioning device of  claim 1 , further including a compression screw operable to exert a compression force between the first and second fixation pins. 
     
     
         9 . The bone positioning device of  claim 8 , wherein the compression screw is positioned against one of the first or second fixation pins. 
     
     
         10 . The bone positioning device of  claim 8 , wherein the first or second block has a first portion slidingly connected to second portion, the first aperture extending through the first portion and the second portion, the first aperture having a first cross-sectional area in the first portion and a second cross-sectional area in the second portion, the first cross-sectional area being smaller than the second cross-sectional area, and the compression screw extending through the second portion. 
     
     
         11 . The bone positioning device of  claim 10 , wherein the first or second set screw extends through the first portion. 
     
     
         12 . A method of fixing the orientation of a first bone with respect to a second bone, comprising the steps of:
 attaching a first fixation pin to a first bone;   attaching a second fixation pin to a second bone;   inserting the first fixation pin within a first aperture of a first block;   inserting the second fixation pin within a second aperture of a second block;   positioning the first block along and about the first fixation pin;   actuating a first set screw to fix a position of the first block along and about the first fixation pin   positioning the second block along and about the second fixation pin;   actuating a second set screw to fix a position of the second block along and about the second fixation pin;   adjusting the position of the first block with respect to the second block about at least a first axis and a second axis;   actuating a third set screw to fix a position about the first axis; and   actuating a fourth set screw to fix a position about the second axis.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further including the step of actuating a compression screw to apply a compression force between the first and second bones and facilitate a desired alignment between first and second bones. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further including the step of imaging the first and second bones connected to the first and second blocks. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further including the step of positioning a cutting guide proximate a leading edge of the first or second bone, and cutting the bone with a cutting tool guided by the cutting guide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the step of actuating a compression screw to apply a compression force between the first and second bones after the cutting step and facilitate a desired alignment between first and second bones. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further including the step of removing the first fixation pin from the first bone and the second fixation pin from the second bone after attaching a bone connector to the first and second bones. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first bone is a metatarsal and the second bone is a cuneiform. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first bone is a first portion of a metatarsal and the second bone is a second portion of the metatarsal. 
     
     
         20 . A bone cutting guide, comprising;
 a plate defining a plane;   a block having a guiding surface integral with or coupled to the plate, the guiding surface being parallel to the plane and being spaced laterally therefrom; and   a handle extending from the plate.   
     
     
         21 . The bone cutting guide of  claim 20 , wherein the handle is coupled to the block and extends therefrom at an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees with respect to the plane.