| CPC A61B 17/157 (2013.01) [A61B 17/025 (2013.01); A61B 17/155 (2013.01); A61B 90/06 (2016.02); A61B 2017/0268 (2013.01); A61B 2090/061 (2016.02)] | 4 Claims |

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1. A method for measuring a gap between a femur and a tibia of a patient, the method comprising:
inserting a first plate and a second plate of a gap gauge between the femur and the tibia;
actuating the first plate and the second plate apart such that the first plate is in contact with a resected surface of the femur and the second plate is in contact with a resected surface of the tibia;
reading a separation indicator of the gap gauge to obtain a displacement between the femur and the tibia;
reading a balance indicator of the gap gauge to obtain a balance status between the femur and the tibia; and
adjusting a tension applied to the femur and the tibia by one or more of a medial collateral ligament and a lateral collateral ligament; and
reading the balance indicator of the gap gauge to obtain an adjusted balance status between the femur and the tibia in response to adjusting the tension;
wherein adjusting the tension further comprises:
removing the gap gauge from between the femur and the tibia;
resecting one or more of the resected surface of the femur and the resected surface of the tibia;
re-inserting the first plate and the second plate of the gap gauge between the femur and the tibia;
actuating the first plate and the second plate apart such that the first plate is in contact with the resected surface of the femur and the second plate is in contact with the resected surface of the tibia;
reading the separation indicator of the gap gauge to obtain the displacement between the femur and the tibia; and
reading the balance indicator of the gap gauge to obtain the balance status between the femur and the tibia.
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