Bone protector, kit and method

Abstract

A surgical kit includes an orthopaedic implant, an orthropaedic trial and a bone protector. All three components have bone-contacting surfaces sized and shaped to be placed against a resected bone surface. The orthopaedic implant and trial are thicker than the bone protector. The bone protector has a flat bearing surface while the implant and trial have curved articulating surfaces. In use, the bone protector is temporarily mounted on the resected bone surface to cover and protect the resected bone surface while other bones of the joint are resected. A retractor can be placed against the bone protector and used as a lever to move other bones of the joint for greater access during surgery. The bone protector serves as the fulcrum of the lever and protects the resected bone from damage. The kit, bone protector and method should be useful in minimally invasive total joint arthroplasty.

1 . A surgical kit for prosthetic implants for replacing portions of bones of a joint, wherein a hole is formed in the bone to receive a part of the implant, the kit comprising:
 a first prosthetic implant component having a bone-contacting surface, an exposed articulating surface opposite the bone-contacting surface and a mounting member extending outward from the bone-contacting surface;   a first prosthetic trial component having a bone-contacting surface, an exposed articulating surface opposite the bone-contacting surface and a mounting member extending outward from the bone-contacting surface;   a bone protector having a bone-contacting surface, an exposed bearing surface opposite the bone-contacting surface and a mounting member extending outward from the bone-contacting surface, the bone protector having a fixed thickness between the bone contacting surface and the exposed bearing surface;   wherein the bone-contacting surfaces of the first prosthetic implant component, the first prosthetic trial component and the bone protector are sized and shaped to be separately mountable to the same bone surface; and   wherein the exposed bearing surface of the bone protector has a different shape than the exposed articulating surfaces of the first prosthetic implant component and the first prosthetic trial component and is free from any structure for affixing another component to the bone protector.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical kit of  claim 2  wherein the exposed articulating surfaces are curved and the exposed bearing surface is flat and planar. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical kit of  claim 2  wherein the first prosthetic implant component comprises a patellar implant. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical kit of  claim 2  further comprising a second prosthetic implant component having a bone-contacting surface and an exposed articulating surface, wherein the exposed articulating surface of the second prosthetic implant component is shaped to articulate against the exposed articulating surface of the first prosthetic implant component. 
     
     
         5 . A surgical kit for prosthetic implants for replacing portions of bones of a joint, wherein a hole is formed in the bone to receive a part of the implant, the kit comprising:
 a first prosthetic implant component having a bone-contacting surface, an exposed articulating surface opposite the bone-contacting surface and a mounting member extending outward from the bone-contacting surface;   a first prosthetic trial component having a bone-contacting surface, an exposed articulating surface opposite the bone-contacting surface and a mounting member extending outward from the bone-contacting surface;   a bone protector having a bone-contacting surface, an exposed bearing surface opposite the bone-contacting surface and a mounting member extending outward from the bone-contacting surface, the bone protector being formed from a metal;   wherein the bone-contacting surfaces of the first prosthetic implant component, the first prosthetic trial component and the bone protector are sized and shaped to be separately mountable to the same bone surface; and   wherein the bearing surface of the bone protector has a different shape than the articulating surfaces of the first prosthetic implant component and the first prosthetic trial component and is free from any structure for affixing another component to the bone protector.   
     
     
         6 . The surgical kit of  claim 5  wherein the exposed articulating surfaces are curved and the exposed bearing surface is flat and planar. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical kit of  claim 5  wherein the first prosthetic implant component comprises a patellar implant. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical kit of  claim 5  further comprising a second prosthetic implant component having a bone-contacting surface and an exposed articulating surface, wherein the exposed articulating surface of the second prosthetic implant component is shaped to articulate against the exposed articulating surface of the first prosthetic implant component.