Paragraph Number

418

Figure 24E illustrates a closer view of the stage in the surgical osteotomy procedure (e.g., a Dwyer osteotomy) of Figure 24D. Note that in certain embodiments, the wedge cut from the bone may not extend to the opposite side of the bone. Instead approximately a 1-3 mm section of bone can be left on the other side of the bone from the osteotomy. This section can facilitate handling of the bone fragments of the calcaneus 1806 during the surgical osteotomy procedure (e.g., a Dwyer osteotomy). In certain embodiments, this remaining portion can be used as a living hinge to keep the two bone fragments together during a fixation step or during one or more steps of the surgical osteotomy procedure. In one embodiment, for example where a surgeon plans to rotate one bone fragment in relation to the other, the method 2400 may further include breaking a medial cortex 2110 opposite a wedge bone fragment 2050. Now, with the bone fragments separated, a surgeon may translate a posterior pin 2220 within a posterior alignment feature 2306 of a positioning guide 2300 to rotate a posterior bone fragment 2114 to a position determined by a surgeon to remediate a condition of the patient’s foot. For example, a surgeon may seek to achieve rectus alignment for a patient's foot, this may include structural realignment of the calcaneus 1806 from a calcaneal varus or valgus deformity to a rectus alignment. The ability to translate and/or rotate the posterior bone fragment 2114 in relation to the anterior bone fragment 2116 enables such repositioning and correction.

Added by DJM Jan 2024