Paragraph Number

139

Figure 6D illustrates the cutting guide 600 from a view facing the medial side 616. Figure 6E illustrates the cutting guide 600 from a view facing the lateral side 618. In certain embodiments, the cutting guide 600 may include one or more features that facilitate use of the cutting guide 600 while avoiding certain soft tissue in the vicinity of a joint. For example, the medial side 616 may include a medial superior surface 632 and a medial inferior surface 634 that meet at a medial edge 636. Advantageously, the medial inferior surface 634 may extend from inferior side 622 to the medial edge 636 at an angle such that the medial inferior surface 634 does not impinge soft tissue near the joint (e.g., near a medial end of the joint). In certain embodiments, the angle may range between about 80 and 170 degrees. In another example, the lateral side 618 may include a lateral superior surface 642 and a lateral inferior surface 644 that meet at a lateral edge 646 (See Figure 6E). Of course, the medial superior surface 632 may extend from the superior side 620 to the medial edge 636 at an angle. The angle of the medial superior surface 632 may enable use of the cutting guide 600 in tighter openings and thus minimize the size of incisions used for a procedure.

Added by DJM Jan 2024