US Patent 7344541 Methods and apparatus for femoral and tibial resection

Methods and apparatus for knee arthroplasty utilize components including an alignment device, a single medially or laterally located guidance device, and a cutting device for use in preparing the bones of a knee joint to receive knee arthroplasty implants. The alignment device is used to locate and orient the guidance device adjacent the medial or lateral side of a long bone of a knee joint. The cutting device is engaged with the guidance device and plunged across the end of the long bone to create a resected surface with respect to which a knee arthroplasty implant will be fixed. In one embodiment, the cutting tool guidance device extends less than about half way across the end of a long bone of a knee joint.