US 12,076,030 B2
System and method for load balancing in knee replacement procedures
J. Dean Cole, Orlando, FL (US)
Filed by J. Dean Cole, Orlando, FL (US)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/780,565.
Application 16/780,565 is a continuation of application No. 15/923,972, filed on Mar. 16, 2018, granted, now 10,548,621.
Application 15/923,972 is a continuation of application No. 15/670,901, filed on Aug. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,575,863.
Application 15/670,901 is a continuation of application No. 14/816,939, filed on Aug. 3, 2015, granted, now 9,724,110, issued on Aug. 8, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/032,458, filed on Aug. 1, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2020/0337715 A1, Oct. 29, 2020
Int. Cl. A61F 2/08 (2006.01); A61B 17/14 (2006.01); A61B 17/15 (2006.01); A61B 17/17 (2006.01); A61F 2/38 (2006.01); A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/1764 (2013.01) [A61B 17/14 (2013.01); A61B 17/155 (2013.01); A61B 17/1714 (2013.01); A61F 2/08 (2013.01); A61F 2/0805 (2013.01); A61F 2/3836 (2013.01); A61F 2/4657 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00557 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0268 (2013.01); A61F 2002/087 (2013.01); A61F 2002/0888 (2013.01); A61F 2/38 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4666 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0003 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for load balancing of a knee joint between a tibia and a femur, the method comprising:
identifying a loose ligament on a first side of the knee joint that is too lax such that the knee joint is in an imbalanced configuration comprising a first spacing between the tibia and the femur on the first side of the knee joint;
obtaining an elongate ligament tension element comprising a suture, a cable coupled to the suture, a first end portion adjacent to the suture, and an opposite, second end portion adjacent to the cable;
anchoring the first end portion to the tibia;
extending the suture along the loose ligament;
forming a passage through the femur;
passing the cable an through the passage from the first side to an opposite, second side of the knee joint;
applying a plurality of tensions to the cable while evaluating the knee joint, wherein the plurality of tensions respectively corresponds to a plurality of spacings between the tibia and the femur;
identifying, based on evaluating the knee joint, a desired tension from the plurality of tensions, wherein the desired tension corresponds to a desired spacing from the plurality of spacings, wherein the desired spacing comprises a second spacing between the tibia and the femur on the first side of the knee joint, wherein the second spacing is smaller than the first spacing such that the knee joint is moved from the imbalanced configuration into a balanced configuration comprising the second spacing; and
anchoring the second end portion on the second side of the knee joint to maintain the desired tension and the desired spacing.