Apparatus, operating means and process
First Claim
1. A tensor for use during the surgical implantation of a knee prosthesis including a tibial component and at least one femoral component, the tensor comprising:
- a lower paddle having an under surface for contacting an upper surface of a resected tibia of the patient;
a first upper paddle movable towards and away from the lower paddle and having an upper surface for contacting a first one of the condyles of a corresponding femur of the patient;
a second upper paddle movable towards and away from the lower paddle and having an upper surface for contacting the other one of the condyles of the femur of the patient;
first adjustment means for moving the first upper paddle towards and away from the lower paddle;
second adjustment means for moving the second upper paddle towards and away from the lower paddle;
a first force sensor means associated with the first upper paddle which in use will measure a first force exerted by the first upper paddle against the first one of the condyles when the under surface of the lower paddle is in contact with the resected upper surface of the tibia of the patient and the first upper paddle is moved progressively away from the lower paddle into contact with the first one of the condyles;
a second load sensor means associated with the second upper paddle which in use will measure a second force exerted by the second upper paddle against the other one of the condyles when the under surface of the lower paddle is in contact with the resected upper surface of the tibia of the patient and the second upper paddle is moved progressively away from the lower paddle into contact with the other one of the condyles; and
signal output means for receiving signals from the first and second load sensor means indicative of the first and second forces respectively and for transmitting at least one output signal derived therefrom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to surgical instruments, a computer program element which provides control or information relating to the surgical instruments, a computer program providing the same, a computer readable medium comprising the computer program, a method for implementing a computer-aided means of guiding a surgeon through a desired surgical procedure and to a computer aided surgical procedure. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to instruments, a computer program element, computer programs, a computer readable medium and methods for use in knee replacement operations.
78 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A tensor for use during the surgical implantation of a knee prosthesis including a tibial component and at least one femoral component, the tensor comprising:
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a lower paddle having an under surface for contacting an upper surface of a resected tibia of the patient;
a first upper paddle movable towards and away from the lower paddle and having an upper surface for contacting a first one of the condyles of a corresponding femur of the patient;
a second upper paddle movable towards and away from the lower paddle and having an upper surface for contacting the other one of the condyles of the femur of the patient;
first adjustment means for moving the first upper paddle towards and away from the lower paddle;
second adjustment means for moving the second upper paddle towards and away from the lower paddle;
a first force sensor means associated with the first upper paddle which in use will measure a first force exerted by the first upper paddle against the first one of the condyles when the under surface of the lower paddle is in contact with the resected upper surface of the tibia of the patient and the first upper paddle is moved progressively away from the lower paddle into contact with the first one of the condyles;
a second load sensor means associated with the second upper paddle which in use will measure a second force exerted by the second upper paddle against the other one of the condyles when the under surface of the lower paddle is in contact with the resected upper surface of the tibia of the patient and the second upper paddle is moved progressively away from the lower paddle into contact with the other one of the condyles; and
signal output means for receiving signals from the first and second load sensor means indicative of the first and second forces respectively and for transmitting at least one output signal derived therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 24)
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2. An alignment device for use during the surgical implantation of a knee prosthesis to aid in identifying the Maquet line, the device comprising:
first mounting means for location in the vicinity of a resected upper surface of a corresponding tibia of the patient;
a first pivot member mounted in the first mounting means so as to permit pivotal movement about a medial-lateral axis relative to the first mounting means;
detector means for detecting the magnitude of medial-lateral pivotal movement of the first pivot member;
second mounting means mounted to the pivot member;
elongate indicator means pivotally mounted at a lower end thereof in the second mounting means so as to permit pivotal movement about an anterior-posterior axis relative to the second mounting means, the elongate indicator means further having an upper end for positioning adjacent a hip of a patient; and
output means for producing an output signal from the detector means corresponding to the angular position of the first pivot member for transmitting said signal. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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3. A computer program element comprising computer code means which when loaded on a computer will be adapted:
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to receive output signals from at least one of a tensor of the above first aspect and an alignment device of the above second aspect;
to display information relating to the received signals; and
to receive input from a user. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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16. An automatic method of guiding a surgeon through a surgical procedure which includes a number of steps including at least one milestone step and at least one non-milestone step, the method comprising:
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providing a computer having an output screen and an input device and loaded with a computer program arranged to display a plurality of screen displays on the output screen in response to input actions entered on the input device;
providing at least one surgical measuring instrument adapted to provide an output signal or signals representative of a measurement made by the surgeon following a respective milestone step of the surgical procedure and capable of interacting with the computer program; and
displaying on the output screen in turn a plurality of screen displays in succession in response to input actions entered on the input device, the plurality of screen displays including at least one milestone screen display corresponding to a respective milestone step of the surgical procedure;
wherein the computer program is arranged (i) to permit display of a next succeeding screen display on the output screen upon entry of a corresponding input action following completion by the surgeon of a non-milestone step of the surgical procedure and (ii) to block the display of the next screen display following completion by the surgeon of a milestone step unless the output signal or signals from the respective surgical measuring instrument corresponds or correspond to a respective predetermined value or values. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26)
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28. A computer programmed with a computer program for automatically guiding a surgeon through a surgical procedure which includes a number of steps including at least one milestone step and at least one non-milestone step and for use with a computer having an output screen and an input device and connected to at least one surgical measuring instrument adapted to provide an output signal or signals representative of a measurement made by the surgeon following a respective milestone step of the surgical procedure and capable of interacting with the computer program, the computer program being arranged so as to display a plurality of screen displays on the output screen in succession in response to input actions entered on the input device, the plurality of screen displays including at least one milestone screen display corresponding to a respective milestone step of the surgical procedure, so as to permit display of a next succeeding screen display on the output screen upon entry of a corresponding input action on the input device following completion by the surgeon of a non-milestone step of the surgical procedure but so as to block the display of the next screen display following completion by the surgeon of a milestone step unless the output signal or signals from the respective surgical measuring instrument corresponds or correspond to a respective predetermined value or values.
Specification