Patent attributes
An extramedullary fluoroscopic alignment guide is disclosed, along with a surgical method employing such an alignment guide. The extramedullary alignment guide includes both radiolucent and radiopaque material. The invention is useful in performing surgery on bones, for example, in performing surgery on the knee joint. The radiolucent material provides a support structure for the radiopaque material. The radiopaque material provides a radiopaque instrument reference that is sized, shaped and positioned so that the surgeon can simultaneously fluoroscopically view the patient's bone and the radiopaque instrument reference. The radiopaque instrument reference may be aligned with landmarks on the bone or other fluoroscopically viewable references, such as the mechanical or anatomic axis. The alignment guide can also include cutting guide surfaces.
