INSTRUMENT FOR EVALUATING BALANCE OF KNEE JOINT

摘要

A knee joint balancing instrument. A first body includes a first paddle for engaging a proximal end of a tibial bone. A second body includes a second paddle for engaging a distal end of a femoral bone. A rack is attached to the first body and is moveable relative thereto in a superior-inferior direction. The second body is pivotally mounted to the rack for pivoting about an axis extending in an anterior-posterior direction. A ratchet is connected to the first body and to the rack for selectively restraining movement of the rack in the superior-inferior direction relative to the first body. A pinion is connected to the first body and engages the rack to cause movement of the rack in the superior-inferior direction relative to the first body. Tension can be induced in the medial and lateral soft tissues of the knee joint by moving the rack, the tension being evenly distributed between the medial and lateral condyles of the knee joint by the pivot mounting of the second paddle, such that an imbalanced response of the medial and lateral soft tissues to a balanced tensile load is indicated.