摘要 |
An alignment guide for setting the position and depth of a guide pin to be inserted into a bone. The alignment guide includes a mechanical assembly for deploying a calibrated guide rod along a selected external surface of the bone and for adjusting the guide rod so it lies parallel to a desired path extending through the bone for a selected distance. The position and orientation of the guide rod may be adjusted using imaging means for viewing the location of the desired path extending through the bone parallel to the guide rod. The alignment guide is mechanically linked to apparatus for subsequently inserting a guide pin into the bone parallel to the guide rod. In one embodiment the alignment guide is designed to aid a surgeon in centering the guide pin to be inserted in the femoral head and neck without repeated trial-and-error drilling. This shortens the operation time and reduces the radiation due to prolonged exposure to fluoroscopic equipment and reduces the risk of possible complications from the surgery.
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