Patent attributes
A broaching system is disclosed for creating a cavity in a bone such that the cavity has a cross section which has a generally triangular profile having a first side generally parallel with an axis of the bone and a second side forming an acute angle with the first side and such that the cavity is contiguous with a pre-existing conical cavity in the bone. The apparatus comprises a shaft and a broach. The shaft has a longitudinal axis. The broach is mounted to the shaft and has a first cutting side mounted at the acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The first cutting side is formed to include teeth. The shaft and broach are configured so that when the longitudinal axis of the shaft is advanced into the bone along the axis of the bone, the teeth of the broach form the triangular cavity. A method for cutting a triangular cavity in bone is also described. The method comprises a providing a shaft step, an incising step and a cutting step. The provided shaft is configured to be movable relative to the bone to be prepared and includes a broach coupled thereto to dispose a cutting surface of the broach at an acute angle relative to the shaft. The shaft and broach have a width defined by the distance between the shaft and the outer most portion of the cutting surface. The incising step includes incising the patient adjacent the bone to be prepared to form an incision having a length approximation the width of shaft and broach. The cutting step includes cutting the cavity by drinking the broach by moving the shaft relative to the bone.
