Surgical templates

Abstract

A surgical template system for use in working on a bone comprises: a tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; locating means comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective end surface for positioning against a surface of the bone; and attachment means for non-adjustably attaching the tool guide block to the locating means such that, when attached, the member end surfaces are secured in fixed position with, respect to each other, for engaging different respective portions of the surface of the bone, and the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the end surfaces. Corresponding methods of manufacturing a surgical template system, methods of manufacturing locating means for a surgical template system, methods of fitting a prosthesis to a bone, surgical methods, and surgical apparatus are described.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A surgical template system for use in working on a bone, comprising:
 at least one tool guide block comprising at least one guide aperture for receiving and guiding a tool to work on a bone; and   a patient-specific component comprising a plurality of locating members, each member having a respective bone-engaging surface adapted to conform to a respective portion of a predetermined surface of a specific bone of a patient,   wherein the tool guide block is non-adjustably attached to the patient-specific component such that the member bone-engaging surfaces are secured in fixed position with respect to each other, for engaging the different respective portions of said surface of the bone, the at least one guide aperture is secured in a fixed position with respect to the bone-engaging surfaces, and the bone-engaging surfaces of the locating members conform to said predetermined surface so as to enable the attached patient-specific component and tool guide block to be seated in a defined position with respect to the specific bone, with each member bone-engaging surface in contact with its respective portion of the bone surface, and wherein the tool guide block is formed from a first material and the patient-specific component is formed from a second, different material.