Patient-specific cutting guide

Abstract

A patient-specific cutting guide system comprises at least two instruments. One is a positioner configured to locate a fiducial marker on a patient's bone and to be secured in three axes. The second is a cutting guide that cooperates with the positioner and delineates cuts to be made. The instruments are designed from images of the bone with the marker already in place. Preferably, a positioner comprises at least three targeting apertures configured to locate at least three non-linear markets. The cutting guide comprises top surface contours that guide the depth of the cuts. A method of forming this system comprises placing at least one marker (preferably three) on a patient's bone, then imaging the bone, forming a positioner designed to incorporate the marker position, and forming a cutting guide configured to be oriented and anchored by the positioner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cutting guide system comprising:
 (a) a positioner configured to locate at least one marker on or near a patient's bone and to be anchored to prevent movement; and   (b) a cutting guide configured to cooperate with the positioner and to delineate the cuts to be made in the bone;   wherein the positioner and the cutting guide are configured from images taken of the patient's bone with the at least one marker already in place.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at east one marker configured to be placed on the patient's bone. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the positioner comprising at least three targeting apertures configured to locate at least three markers. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , comprising at least three markers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  the positioner further comprising a transverse member. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , the positioner further comprising at least three anchoring apertures. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising anchors. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , the cutting guide comprising top surface contours that guide the depth of the cuts. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the cutting guide comprising bottom surface contours that match the contours of the top surface of the bone. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an imaging technology configured to locate one or more markers during surgery. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cutting instrument configured to cooperate with the cutting guide. 
     
     
         12 . A cutting guide system comprising:
 (a) a positioner configured to locate at least three markers on or near a patient's bone and to be anchored to prevent movement, the positioner comprising:
 (i) at least three targeting apertures; and 
 (ii) at least three anchoring apertures; and 
   (b) a cutting guide configured to be attached to the positioner and to delineate the cuts to be made in the bone and comprising top surface contours that guide the depth of the cuts;   wherein the positioner and the cutting guide are configured from images taken of the patient's bone with the at least three markers already in place.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , the positioner further comprising a transverse member having a targeting aperture. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , comprising at least three markers. 
     
     
         15 . The system of clam  12 , further comprising anchors. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , the cutting guide comprising bottom surface contours that match the contours of the top surface of the bone. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a cutting guide system, the method comprising:
 (a) forming a positioner designed to incorporate the position of at least one marker on or near a patient's bone, therein the positioner is configured to locate the at least one marker and to be anchored to prevent movement; and   (b) forming a cutting guide configured to be oriented by the positioner and to delineate the cuts to be made in the bone;   wherein the positioner and the cutting guide are formed and configured from images taken of the patient's bone with the at least one marker already in place.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising incorporating the position of at least three markers on the patient's bone. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , the positioner comprising at least three anchoring apertures. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , the positioner comprising a transverse member.