The invention relates to a device, system, and method for making an incision into a patient's bone using a cutting block, wherein locations of reference objects of the patient's body are defined with respect to a reference coordinate system. The device may include: a cutting guide having an incision plane; a localization reference for determining a spatial position of the incision plan (the localization reference secured to the cutting guide); a fixation device secured to the bone; an adjusting device for setting a position of the incision plane relative to the bone, wherein a location of the adjusting device is defined with respect to a base coordinate system; and a pre-adjusting device for aligning the base coordinate system with respect to the reference coordinate system.