Paragraph Number

287

FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of the first cuneiform and the first metatarsal of FIGS. 24A, 25A with a compressor / distractor and cross joint guide. In the illustrated embodiment, a surgeon has removed other instruments such that fasteners 1956 of the proximal alignment feature 1980/2280 and fasteners 1956 of the distal alignment feature 1990/2290 remain in the bones. Next, the surgeon may couple an active compression instrument 2610 (which may be similar to the exemplary parallel compressor/distractor 1500 or parallel compressor/distractor 1600) to the fasteners 1956 by sliding the holes 1502a,b over the fasteners 1956 of the proximal alignment feature 1980/2280 and the holes 1502c,d over the fasteners 1956 of the distal alignment feature 1990/2290. An active compression instrument 2610 refers to any instrument that can compress two or more structures together towards each other or against a stationary object. An "active compression instrument" refers to a mechanical device, apparatus, member, object, body, component, or structure, that is organized, configured, designed, arranged, or engineered to maintain two objects in a compressed state one against the other which may enable a user to perform one or more other operations, method steps, or activities. One example of an active compression instrument is a compressor or an instrument that can function as both a compressor and a distractor. An active compression instrument 2610 may be configured to only provide a compression feature. Alternatively, or in addition, an active compression instrument 2610 may be configured to provide both a compression feature and a distraction feature. The distraction feature is a feature the distracts or separates at least two structures.

Added by DJM 2 2022