SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING ORTHOPAEDIC IMPLANT DATA

• US 20080071146A1
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Caylor, Edward J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/745 using a holographic display
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/48 Operating or control means, e.g. from outside the body, control of sphincters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00 Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/00 Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements force-resisting aspects A63B21/00; for particular parts of the body, e.g. to strengthen particular limbs or muscles A63B23/00; electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/00 Exercising apparatus specially adapted for particular parts of the body A63B22/00 takes precedence; force-resisting aspects A63B21/00; electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00; devices for exercising or strengthening of fingers, or arms in teaching operation of keyboards G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring implant sensor data includes an orthopaedic implant, a patient exercise machine, and an antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine. The orthopaedic implant includes a sensor and a transmitter configured to transmit implant sensor data. The antenna is selected from a group of antennas based on the data rate and/or carrier frequency used by the transmitter. A controller is coupled to the antenna and configured to display the implant data, or indicia thereof, on a display device such as a computer monitor.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring implant sensor data, the system comprising:

an orthopaedic implant;

a sensor coupled to the orthopaedic implant and configured to generate implant sensor data;

a transmitter coupled to the orthopaedic implant and electrically coupled to the sensor, the transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit the implant sensor data at a data rate of less than 100 kilobytes per second;

a patient exercise machine;

a loop antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine and configured to receive the implant sensor data; and

a controller electrically coupled to the loop antenna and configured to display indicia of the implant sensor data on a display device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, a load sensor, a temperature sensor, and a hall-effect sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the implant sensor data using a predetermined carrier frequency of lower than 30,000 hertz.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient exercise machine is an exercise machine selected from the group consisting of:

a treadmill, a stairstepper machine, a stationary bicycle, an elliptical trainer, a rowing machine, and a ski machine.

5. The system of claim 1, the controller is configured to record the implant sensor data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the implant sensor data to a database over a network and store the implant sensor data in the database.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a secondary coil coupled to the orthopaedic implant; and

a primary coil electrically coupled to the controller,

wherein the transmitter is electrically coupled to the secondary coil and configured to transmit the implant sensor data in response to a power signal received from the secondary coil when the secondary coil is inductively coupled with the primary coil.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

(i) the transmitter forms a portion of a transceiver;

(ii) the controller is configured to transmit programming data to the transceiver; and

(iii) the transceiver is configured to transmit implant sensor data from one of a number of implant sensors selected based on the programming data.

9. A system for monitoring implant sensor data, the system comprising:

an orthopaedic implant;

a sensor coupled to the orthopaedic implant and configured to generate implant sensor data;

a transmitter coupled to the orthopaedic implant and electrically coupled to the sensor, the transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit the implant sensor data at a data rate in the range of 100 kilobytes per second to 1,000 kilobytes per second;

a patient exercise machine;

a monopole antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine and configured to receive the implant sensor data; and

a controller electrically coupled to the monopole antenna and configured to display indicia of the implant sensor data on a display device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, a load sensor, a temperature sensor, and a hall-effect sensor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the implant sensor data using a predetermined carrier frequency in the range of 30 mega-hertz to 2,000 mega-hertz.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the patient exercise machine is a exercise machine selected from the group consisting of:

a treadmill, a stairstepper machine, a stationary bicycle, an elliptical trainer, a rowing machine, and a ski machine.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the monopole antenna is an antenna selected from the group consisting of:

a quarter-wave monopole antenna, a half-wave monopole antenna, and a five-eighths-wave monopole antenna.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the implant sensor data to a database over a network and store the implant sensor data in the database.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a secondary coil coupled to the orthopaedic implant; and

a primary coil electrically coupled to the controller,

wherein the transmitter is electrically coupled to the secondary coil and configured to transmit the implant sensor data in response to a power signal received from the secondary coil when the secondary coil is inductively coupled with the primary coil.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein:

(i) the transmitter forms a portion of a transceiver;

(ii) the controller is configured to transmit programming data to the transceiver; and

(iii) the transceiver is configured to transmit implant sensor data from one of a number of implant sensors selected based on the programming data.

17. A system for monitoring implant sensor data, the system comprising:

an orthopaedic implant;

a sensor coupled to the orthopaedic implant and configured to generate implant sensor data;

a transmitter coupled to the orthopaedic implant and electrically coupled to the sensor, the transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit the implant sensor data at a data rate greater than 1,000 kilobytes per second;

a patient exercise machine;

a patch antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine and configured to receive the implant sensor data; and

a controller electrically coupled to the patch antenna and configured to display indicia of the implant sensor data on a display device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, a load sensor, a temperature sensor, and a hall-effect sensor.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the implant sensor data using a predetermined carrier frequency greater than 2 giga-hertz.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the patient exercise machine is a exercise machine selected from the group consisting of:

a treadmill, a stairstepper machine, a stationary bicycle, an elliptical trainer, a rowing machine, and a ski machine.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the implant sensor data to a database over a network and store the implant sensor data in the database.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a secondary coil coupled to the orthopaedic implant; and

a primary coil electrically coupled to the controller,

wherein the transmitter is electrically coupled to the secondary coil and configured to transmit the implant sensor data in response to a power signal received from the secondary coil when the secondary coil is inductively coupled with the primary coil.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein:

(i) the transmitter forms a portion of a transceiver;

(ii) the controller is configured to transmit programming data to the transceiver; and

(iii) the transceiver is configured to transmit implant sensor data from one of a number of implant sensors selected based on the programming data.