Methods and apparatus for orthopedic surgical navigation and alignment

• US 20050149040A1
• Filed: 10/23/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Puget BioVentures LLC
• Original Assignee: Puget BioVentures LLC
• Inventors: Haines, Timothy G., Goldstein, David B.
• Application Number:
  US10/967,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/155 Cutting femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/157 Cutting tibia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1675 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1767 for the patella
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1602 Mills
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3859 Femoral components

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for orthopedic surgical navigation and alignment techniques and instruments.

Claims

1. An apparatus for guiding the resection of a patient'"'"'s bone during arthroplasty, said apparatus comprising:

a resection guide adapted for guiding a cutting device relative to a patient'"'"'s bone during arthroplasty; and

an alignment guide coupled to said resection guide and adapted for attachment to the patient'"'"'s bone, said alignment guide including;

a first assembly for positioning said resection guide along a translational path;

a second assembly for positioning said resection guide along a first rotational path and a second rotational path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second rotational paths are about different axes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said axes are transverse to each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second assemblies each include a locking device for securing said resection guide along said translational path and said first and second rotational paths.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an anchoring pin adapted to secure said alignment guide to a patient'"'"'s bone.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second assembly comprises a second assembly for positioning along said first rotational path, and a third assembly for positioning said resection guide along said second rotational path.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second assembly comprises a second assembly for positioning said resection guide along a first rotational path and along a second rotational path.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a plane probe.

9. An apparatus for guiding the resection of a patient'"'"'s bone during arthroplasty, said apparatus comprising:

a resection guide adapted for guiding a cutting device relative to a patient'"'"'s bone during arthroplasty; and

an alignment guide adapted for positioning said resection guide along a translational path and along a plurality of rotational paths.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of rotational paths are about different axes.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said axes are transverse to each other.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said alignment guide includes first and second assemblies each including at least one locking device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said locking device of said first assembly is adapted for securing said resection guide along said translational path.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said locking device of said second assembly is adapted for securing said resection guide along said plurality of rotational paths.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said second assembly includes a pair of locking devices, each of said locking devices adapted for securing said resection guide along separate rotational paths.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further including an anchoring pin adapted to secure said alignment guide to a patient'"'"'s bone.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a plane probe.

18. An apparatus for guiding the resection of a bone during arthroplasty, comprising:

anchoring means for anchoring the apparatus to the bone;

a resection guide coupled to said anchoring means; and

means for locating the resection guide relative to the anchoring means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for locating provides three degrees of freedom including two rotations and one translation.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said three degrees of freedom include flexion-extension, varus-valgus, and proximal-distal.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a plane probe, said plane probe including a planar surface and coupling means for coupling said plane probe to a computer navigation tracker.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said means for locating further comprises means for selectively locking the position of said resection guide with three degrees of freedom.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said anchoring means need not be removed from the bone prior to resection.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said apparatus is adapted for use in resecting femurs and tibias.

25. An alignment guide for positioning an instrument with respect to a bone, comprising:

a bone anchor having a first end and a second end, and attached to a bone at said first end; and

a first member and a second member;

wherein said first member is attached to said second end of said bone anchor; and

wherein said second member is associated with said first member to facilitate universal motion of said second member with respect to said first member for positioning said instrument.

26-200. -200. (canceled)

201. A positioning block for use in total knee replacement surgery, permitting five degrees-of-freedom movement relative to a bone element to which it is fixed, the positioning block comprising:

a rotational mounting element being removably engagable to the bone element such that the mounting element is selectively rotatable relative to the bone element, about three substantially perpendicular axes of rotation; and

a guide body portion being engaged with the mounting element such that it is translatable relative thereto along a proximal-distal axis and an anterior-posterior axis, while being rotationally fixed relative to the mounting element such that the guide body portion and the mounting element rotate together relative to the bone element.

202. The apparatus of claim 201, wherein the positioning block comprises an attachment point permitting engagement of at least one of a cutting and drilling guide block to the positioning block.

203. The apparatus of claim 202, wherein the at least one of a cutting and drilling guide block is a conventionally employed instrument used in non-computer assisted total knee replacement surgery.

204. The apparatus of claim 202, wherein the at least one of a cutting and drilling guide block can be positioned at a fixed distance relative to the positioning block.

205. The apparatus of claim 201, wherein the positioning block comprises at least one of a cutting and a drilling guide portion integrally incorporated therewith.

206. A positioning block permitting at least two independently adjustable degrees-of-freedom relative to a bone element to which it is attached, the positioning block comprising:

a bone anchoring element being fastenable to the bone element;

a cutting tool guide element operatively engagable with a cutting tool and adjustably engagable with the bone anchoring element such that selective displacement in at least two degrees-of-freedom relative to the bone element is permitted, enabling the cutting tool to be disposed in a desired position and orientation for cutting the bone element; and

at least two independent adjustment mechanisms, each being adjustable in substantial isolation for respectively displacing the cutting tool guide element in one of the at least two degrees-of-freedom.

207. The apparatus of claim 206, wherein the cutting tool guide element is engaged to the bone element such that movement in five degrees-of-freedom relative thereto is selectively possible.

208. The apparatus of claim 206, wherein the independent adjustment mechanisms provide substantially isolated adjustment of the cutting tool guide element in at least one rotational degree-of-freedom and at least one translational degree-of-freedom.

209-226. -226. (canceled)