Paragraph Number

81

Every deformity is different; accordingly, the degree of angular adjustment needed in each direction may be different for every patient. Use of a patient-specific cutting guide may help the surgeon obtain the optimal realignment in the lateral direction 274 and in the plantar direction 276 or the dorsal direction 278. Conversely, use of one of several differently-sized cutting guides may provide only approximate correction, as the surgeon may not have a guide that precisely matches the correction needed for the foot 200, and must thus choose the cutting guide that most closely provides the desired correction. Such differently sized cutting guides would not be contoured to fit the medial cuneiform 202 or the first metatarsal 208, thus introducing additional potential for error as the surgeon must properly align the selected cutting guide.

Added by DJM Jan 2024