Patient specific soft tissue protectors and retractors

Abstract

Disclosed are devices, methods and/or systems for tissue protectors and/or retractors having patient specific and/or patient adapted features that facilitate the accuracy and predictability of bone resection and tissue preparation during joint surgery, as well as improve the distraction of soft tissues, desirably preventing accidental injury to surrounding soft tissue structures and improving visualization.

1 . A patient-specific tissue protector for protecting a soft tissue structure from a surgical cutting tool during an orthopedic surgical procedure on a patient, comprising:
 an elongated body including a patient specific alignment surface that substantially conforms to an anatomical surface of the patient's anatomy, and   a surgical cutting block, the surgical cutting block including at least one alignment feature for aligning a surgical cutting tool along a surgical cutting plane during the surgical procedure,   wherein at least a portion of the elongated body extends outward from the surgical cutting block and into the surgical cutting plane.   
     
     
         2 . The patient-specific tissue protector of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an attachment feature for detachably attaching the elongated body to the surgical cutting block.   
     
     
         3 . The patient-specific tissue protector of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical cutting block further comprises a patient specific alignment surface that substantially conforms to a second anatomical surface of the patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         4 . The patient-specific tissue protector of  claim 2 , wherein the attachment feature flexibly attaches the elongated body to the surgical cutting block so as to allow some minor motion between the elongated body and the surgical cutting block. 
     
     
         5 . The patient-specific tissue protector of  claim 1 , wherein the patient specific alignment surface of the elongated body further includes a groove. 
     
     
         6 . The patient-specific tissue protector of  claim 2 , wherein the attachment feature rigidly attaches the elongated body to the surgical cutting block. 
     
     
         7 . A patient-specific tissue retractor for use during an orthopedic surgical procedure, comprising:
 a substantially elongated body having a first end and a second end, and a surface feature proximal to the first end that substantially conforms to an anatomical surface of the patient's anatomy, and   a handle proximal to the second end.   
     
     
         8 . The patient-specific tissue retractor of  claim 7 , wherein the surface feature proximal to the first end substantially conforms to an anatomical surface of the patient's hip joint. 
     
     
         9 . The patient-specific tissue retractor of  claim 7 , wherein the surface feature proximal to the first end substantially conforms to an anatomical surface of the patient's shoulder joint. 
     
     
         10 . The patient-specific tissue retractor of  claim 7 , wherein the surface feature proximal to the first end substantially conforms to an anatomical surface of the patient's ankle joint. 
     
     
         11 . The patient-specific tissue retractor of  claim 7 , wherein the surface feature proximal to the first end substantially conforms to an anatomical surface of the patient's elbow joint. 
     
     
         12 . The patient-specific tissue retractor of  claim 7 , wherein the anatomical surface of the patient's anatomy comprises a posterior cortex of a tibia of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The patient-specific tissue retractor of  claim 7 , wherein the anatomical surface of the patient's anatomy comprises an anterior wall of the acetabulum of the patient.