3-d femur orthopedic drill guide

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3-D) femur orthopedic drill guide device (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 ) is disclosed. The device guides a drill to make a hole in femoral bone. A tissue repair device is used to replace injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The tissue replace device is assembled in the femur bone hole.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device comprising:
 an arm;   a hollow sleeve;   a removable hollow bullet-shaped pilot;   a support base;   wherein said arm has a first and a second end, attached to said first end of said arm is a hollow sleeve, attached to said second end of said arm is a support base, wherein said arm connects the hollow sleeve and support base avoiding contact with the patella and the thigh when installing the orthopedic drill guide device in the femur;   wherein said hollow sleeve is of a constant inside diameter allowing said sleeve's full length to slide into a locational fit and align with the outside diameter of said removable hollow bullet-shaped pilot, so that when said hollow sleeve fits or locks the removable hollow bullet-shaped pilot either by the use of internal threads in the hollow sleeve and external threads in the removable hollow bullet-shaped pilot or any other suitable means, said hollow sleeve longitudinal axis points towards the lateral femoral condyle flare and is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the support base;   wherein said removable hollow bullet shaped pilot has a first and second end, said first end of said removable hollow bullet shaped pilot may incorporate a knurled knob at one end to facilitate insertion and removal into the hollow sleeve, said second end of said removable hollow bullet shaped pilot has a least one bone engaging tooth at the other end to keep orthopedic drill guide in place when assembled, said hollow bullet-shape pilot inside diameter accurately accommodates a particular drill size, said hollow bullet shape pilot can be inserted and removed from the hollow sleeve to the use of the hollow bullet shape pilot of different inside diameters, said hollow bullet shape pilot may be retained within the hollow sleeve during use with threads or any other suitable means, said removable hollow bullet shaped pilot may provide a guide for sliding alignment with the hollow sleeve preventing the hollow bullet-shape pilot to turn with the drill during drilling; and   wherein said support base is attached to the second end of the arm; said support is positioned to the original anatomical anterior cruciate ligament femoral insertion center during its installation; said support base has a least one bone engaging tooth to keep orthopedic drill guide in place when assembled.   
     
     
         2 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device of  claim 1  wherein;
 when said device is installed in the femur by engaging said removable hollow bullet shaped pilot bone engaging tooth to the lateral femoral condyle flare and the support base to the anterior cruciate ligament femoral insertion center said removable hollow bullet shaped pilot of said three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device is pressed and locked in position by turning the knurled knob end of the removable hollow bullet shaped pilot first end inside the hollow sleeve purchasing against the lateral femoral condyle flare of the femur. 
 
     
     
         3 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device in  claim 1  wherein;
 when said drill guide provides a predetermined directional vector to drill the femur in an outside-in configuration when installed, the drill enters the inside diameter in the first end of the removable hollow bullet shaped pilot and emerges at the origin of the anterior cruciate ligament femoral insertion center on the posteromedial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle where the support base is located. 
 
     
     
         4 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device in  claim 1  wherein;
 said arm can have different non-planar conformations and be made of one or more components that allow the desired parallel and coincident alignment of the hollow sleeve longitudinal axis with the support base longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
         5 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device in  claim 1  wherein;
 said arm serves as a means for the surgeon to grasp, position, and maneuver the orthopedic drill guide device during installation of the three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device in the femur. 
 
     
     
         6 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 3  wherein;
 said device directional vector is achieved by rotating ALPHA degrees measured from the coronal plane when facing the axial plane and rotate BETA degrees measured about the coronal plane when facing the sagittal plane, wherein said directional vector of the said three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device may be defined using other geometrical references and notations. 
 
     
     
         7 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 6  wherein;
 said device directional vector angle requires an ALPHA angle that is between 10 and 80 degrees measured clockwise for the right leg femur and counter clockwise for the left leg femur. 
 
     
     
         8 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 6  wherein;
 said device directional vector angle requires a BETA angle that is between 10 and 80 degrees measured clockwise for the right leg femur and counter clockwise for the left leg femur. 
 
     
     
         9 . The three dimensional orthopedic guide of  claim 1  which;
 requires a set of two guides one for a right leg femur and another for a left leg femur. 
 
     
     
         10 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 7  wherein;
 said device directional vector angle requires a BETA angle that is between 10 and 80 degrees measured clockwise for the right leg femur and counter clockwise for the left leg femur. 
 
     
     
         11 . A three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device comprising:
 a curved arm having a support base at a distal end and a hollow sleeve at a near end, wherein said hollow sleeve center opening is designed to house a removable hollow bullet-shaped pilot whose central opening longitudinal axis culminates at said support base;   wherein said bullet-shaped pilot's central opening is fit to accommodate a central drill coaxially traveling throughout said opening and said pilot has at least one bone engaging tooth at its distal end; and   wherein said support base has a least one bone engaging tooth.   
     
     
         12 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 11  wherein;
 said device directional vector is achieved by rotating ALPHA degrees measured from the coronal plane when facing the axial plane and rotate BETA degrees measured about the coronal plane when facing the sagittal plane, wherein said directional vector of the said three dimensional orthopedic drill guide device may be defined using other geometrical references and notations. 
 
     
     
         13 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 12  wherein;
 said device directional vector angle requires an ALPHA angle that is between 10 and 80 degrees measured clockwise for the right leg femur and counter clockwise for the left leg femur. 
 
     
     
         14 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 12  wherein;
 said device directional vector angle requires a BETA angle that is between 10 and 80 degrees measured clockwise for the right leg femur and counter clockwise for the left leg femur. 
 
     
     
         15 . The three dimensional orthopedic drill guide of  claim 13  wherein;
 said device directional vector angle requires a BETA angle that is between 10 and 80 degrees measured clockwise for the right leg femur and counter clockwise for the left leg femur.