A device for positively clamping to the patella for use in knee surgical procedures such as total or partial knee arthroplasty to aid in determining the position of the center of the patellar implant and the amount of resection of the posterior patella for to achieve optimal tracking of the patello-femoral joint with the least amount of soft tissue releases. In one embodiment, the device includes a docking mechanism for attaching a posterior patella guide and one or more navigation devices, sensors and/or fiduciaries to monitor the position of the patella in the full range of motion and to aid in selecting the optimal position of the patella and patellar implant.