Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
An in-situ surgical orthopedic milling apparatus comprising: a) an instrument frame having upper and lower end portions; b) a movable cutting instrument for cutting a patient's bone tissue; c) a plurality of template means having a corresponding plurality of respective patterns which constrain the cutting instrument movements, each template means defining a plane and including a top portion, a bottom portion and a peripheral portion; d) the cutting instrument including means for cutting bone tissue within the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone; e) a stabilizing means for selectively maintaining an orthogonal relationship between the cutting instrument and the plane of the template; f) indexing means for affixing a selected template means to the instrument frame at a selected elevational position to define an operative position; g) at least some of template means being removable from an operative position upon the frame when another template means is in the operative position; and h) means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ in a position adjacent to a patient's bone to be milled.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
An in-situ surgical orthopedic milling apparatus comprising: a) an instrument frame having upper and lower end portions; b) a movable cutting instrument for cutting a patient's bone tissue; c) a plurality of template means having a corresponding plurality of respective patterns which constrain the cutting instrument movements, each template means defining a plane and including a top portion, a bottom portion and a peripheral portion; d) the cutting instrument including means for cutting bone tissue within the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone; e) a stabilizing means for selectively maintaining an orthogonal relationship between the cutting instrument and the plane of the template; f) indexing means for affixing a selected template means to the instrument frame at a selected elevational position to define an operative position; g) at least some of template means being removable from an operative position upon the frame when another template means is in the operative position; and h) means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ in a position adjacent to a patient's bone to be milled.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The surgical orthopedic milling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instrument frame includes a vertically extending member having a plurality of shoulders thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instrument frame comprises a column member and a flange member extending along the side of the column member, the flange member providing a plurality of shoulders, each shoulder being at a different elevation, and each shoulder being spaced by a different dimension from the longitudinal central axis of the column.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of template means are each in the form of a flange member that is generally flat, having a generally L shaped configuration, and the flange includes a pair of spaced apart openings including a first opening that registers upon the instrument frame and a second opening that defines the respective pattern.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the indexing means comprises a plurality of shoulders spaced vertically along the instrument frame at different elevational positions, and each of the templates is sized and shaped to register upon the instrument frame at a different elevational position by registering upon a different shoulder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
148 words
An in-situ surgical orthopedic milling apparatus comprising: a) an instrument frame having upper and lower end portions; b) a plurality of templates having a corresponding plurality of respective patterns that constrain cutting instrument movement; c) a cutting device for cutting bone tissue within the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone; d) a stabilizer for controlling or maintaining an orthogonal relationship between the cutting tool and the top, bottom, or the periphery or the template; e) indexing means for affixing a selected template to the instrument frame at a selected elevational position to define an operative position; f) the pattern of at least some of the templates comprising a rail portion that limits travel of the cutter beyond an area defined by the pattern so that inadvertent excessive cutting is prevented; and g) means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ upon a patient's bone to be milled during surgery.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
148 words
An in-situ surgical orthopedic milling apparatus comprising: a) an instrument frame having upper and lower end portions; b) a plurality of templates having a corresponding plurality of respective patterns that constrain cutting instrument movement; c) a cutting device for cutting bone tissue within the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone; d) a stabilizer for controlling or maintaining an orthogonal relationship between the cutting tool and the top, bottom, or the periphery or the template; e) indexing means for affixing a selected template to the instrument frame at a selected elevational position to define an operative position; f) the pattern of at least some of the templates comprising a rail portion that limits travel of the cutter beyond an area defined by the pattern so that inadvertent excessive cutting is prevented; and g) means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ upon a patient's bone to be milled during surgery.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The surgical orthopedic milling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the instrument frame provides a generally vertically extending member and the templates are spaced laterally away from the vertically extending member during use.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The surgical orthopedic milling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the instrument frame provides at its lower end portion the means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ upon a patient's bone during use.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The surgical orthopedic milling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the cutter is a rotary cutting member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The surgical orthopedic milling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the indexing means comprises a plurality of means for affixing the position of a particular template means at a particular elevational position along the instrument frame.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
The surgical orthopedic milling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the instrument frame has a central vertical axis and the indexing means comprises a plurality of shoulders spaced at different elevational positions along the instrument frame, and each of the shoulders is spaced a different distance away from the instrument frame central vertical axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
122 words
An in-situ surgical orthopedic milling apparatus comprising: a) an instrument frame having upper and lower end portions; b) a plurality of template means having a corresponding plurality of respective patterns; c) cutting means supported upon the instrument frame for cutting bone tissue within the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone; d) indexing means for affixing a selected template means to the instrument frame at one of a plurality of selected differing elevational positions to define an operative position; e) at least some of template means being removable from an operative position upon the frame when another template means is in the operative position; and f) means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ in a position adjacent a patient's bone to be milled.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
122 words
An in-situ surgical orthopedic milling apparatus comprising: a) an instrument frame having upper and lower end portions; b) a plurality of template means having a corresponding plurality of respective patterns; c) cutting means supported upon the instrument frame for cutting bone tissue within the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone; d) indexing means for affixing a selected template means to the instrument frame at one of a plurality of selected differing elevational positions to define an operative position; e) at least some of template means being removable from an operative position upon the frame when another template means is in the operative position; and f) means for supporting the instrument frame in-situ in a position adjacent a patient's bone to be milled.