Patient-specific convertible guides

Abstract

A convertible patient-specific guide for use in arthroplasty has a body having a patient-specific three-dimensional undersurface closely mateable engageable in only one position with a corresponding joint surface of a specific patient. The convertible guide includes patient-specific guiding formations extending from the body and configured for guiding both a total arthroplasty of the joint and a partial arthroplasty of the joint, such that the arthroplasty to be performed is intraoperatively changeable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A convertible patient-specific guide for use in arthroplasty comprising:
 a body having a patient-specific three-dimensional undersurface closely mateable in only one position with a corresponding joint surface of a specific patient; and   patient-specific guiding formations extending from the body and configured for guiding both a total arthroplasty of the joint and a partial arthroplasty of the joint such that the arthroplasty to be performed is intraoperatively selectable.   
     
     
         2 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 1 , wherein the patient-specific guiding formations include guiding formations for total knee arthroplasty and partial patellofemoral arthroplasty. 
     
     
         3 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 1 , wherein the patient-specific guiding formations include guiding formations for total knee arthroplasty and partial knee arthroplasty. 
     
     
         4 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a first portion severably coupled to a second portion. 
     
     
         5 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 4 , wherein the second portion, after being severed from the first portion, defines a standalone patient-specific patellofemoral guide. 
     
     
         6 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion includes a patellofemoral guiding formation and distal guiding formations having covers. 
     
     
         7 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 6 , wherein the covers are removable for using the patient-specific guide in total arthroplasty. 
     
     
         8 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion includes structural features for supporting an anterior femoral resection block. 
     
     
         9 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 2  in combination with a patient-specific patellofemoral guide having a body with a patient-specific undersurface and guiding formations corresponding to corresponding distal guiding formations and a corresponding patellofemoral guiding formation of the convertible patient-specific guide. 
     
     
         10 . A convertible patient-specific guide for use in arthroplasty comprising:
 a body having a patient-specific three-dimensional undersurface closely mateable engageable in only one position with a corresponding femoral knee joint surface of a specific patient;   patient-specific guiding formations extending from the body and configured for guiding a total knee arthroplasty; and   a connector extending from the body and couplable with a patient-specific unicondylar knee guide for intraoperatively converting a unicondylar partial knee arthroplasty to a total knee arthroplasty.   
     
     
         11 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 10 , wherein the body forms a frame comprising interconnected medial, lateral, anterior and distal elongated elements. 
     
     
         12 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 11 , wherein the guiding formations include anterior guiding formations at common portions between the anterior elongated element and the medial and lateral elongated elements. 
     
     
         13 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 12 , wherein the guiding formations include distal guiding formations at common portions between the distal elongated element and the medial and lateral elongated elements. 
     
     
         14 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 13 , wherein one of the distal formations is defined on the connector. 
     
     
         15 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 14 , wherein the connector includes an elongated tapered wall. 
     
     
         16 . The convertible patient-specific guide of  claim 10  in combination with a patient-specific physical bone model including a hollow undersurface and a supporting structure on the undersurface for receiving an elongated holding member to support the physical bone model without directly folding the physical bone model. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16 , wherein the physical bone model has a patient-specific three-dimensional outer surface that replicates an outer surface of the corresponding bone of the specific patient.