Method and device for preparing an implant from an implant material

• US 20080304725A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aesculap AG (Lonza Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Aesculap AG (Lonza Group AG)
• Inventors: Leitner, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,005,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0005 combining images e.g. side-by-side, superimposed or tiled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/317 for bones or joints, e.g. osteoscopes, arthroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30756 Cartilage endoprostheses A61F2/3603 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30942 for designing or making customized prostheses, e.g. using templates, CT or NMR scans, finite-element analysis or CAD-CAM techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3096 trimmed or cut to a customised size
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30963 using templates, e.g. grid charts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4632 using computer-controlled surgery, e.g. robotic surgery

Abstract

A method and device for preparing an implant from an implant material are provided. A defect image of the defect which has a defect contour is made available, in which a first calibration member arranged in or adjacent to the defect is displayed. A second calibration member is arranged on or adjacent to the implant material to be processed, this second calibration member corresponding to the first calibration member. A real-time image of the implant material is displayed on a display device. The defect image is displayed on the display device and superimposed on the real-time image so that the first and the second calibration members are displayed one on top of the other. A processing tool is displayed on the display device in the real-time image and moved over the implant material so that it follows the defect contour displayed in the defect image.

Claims

1. Method for preparing an implant from an implant material, said implant serving to fill a defect in a human or animal body, wherein a defect image of the defect having a defect contour is made available, a first calibration member arranged in or adjacent to the defect being displayed in said image, wherein a second calibration member is arranged on or adjacent to the implant material to be processed, said second calibration member corresponding to the first calibration member, wherein a real-time image of the implant material is taken and displayed in real time on a display device, wherein the defect image made available is displayed on the display device and superimposed on the real-time image in such a manner that the first and the second calibration members are displayed one on top of the other in the same shape and size and wherein a processing tool is displayed in the real-time image on the display device and moved over the implant material in such a manner that it follows the defect contour displayed in the defect image on the display device.

2. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein an areal implant is prepared from an essentially flat implant material.

3. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein a first image generating device with a first optical axis is used for taking the real-time image, said axis being aligned at a first image angle relative to a plane defined by the implant material, wherein a defect image is made available, said image having been taken with a second image generating device having a second optical axis, wherein the second optical axis was aligned at a second image angle relative to a plane defined by the defect, and wherein the first image angle is set in accordance with the second image angle.

4. Method as defined in claim 3, wherein the second optical axis was aligned at right angles or essentially at right angles to the plane defined by the defect and wherein the first optical axis is aligned at right angles or essentially at right angles to the plane defined by the implant material.

5. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein a defect image is made available, said image having been taken by scanning the defect contour with a navigated palpation instrument.

6. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein the real-time image is displayed on the display device as background image and the defect image as foreground image.

7. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein the defect image and the real-time image are brought into coincidence on the display device by moving the two representations relative to one another and altering an enlarging factor of the two representations relative to one another.

8. Method as defined in claim 7, wherein the defect image is displayed on the display device unaltered and wherein the real-time image is moved and enlarged or reduced in size relative to the defect image in such a manner that the first calibration member and the second calibration member are displayed congruently on the display device.

9. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein a flat member is used as first and second calibration members, respectively.

10. Method as defined in claim 9, wherein a disc-shaped member is used.

11. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein a calibration structure is used as first and second calibration members, respectively, said structure comprising two calibration elements in a fixed, geometric relation to one another.

12. Method as defined in claim 11, wherein a calibration structure comprising a carrier is used, two, three, four or more calibration elements being arranged on said carrier.

13. Method as defined in claim 3, wherein a digital video camera is used as first image generating device.

14. Method as defined in claim 3, wherein a defect image generated with a digital camera is used.

15. Method as defined in claim 3, wherein prior to the preparation of the implant the defect image is taken with the second image generating device and wherein prior to the defect image being taken the second calibration member is arranged in or adjacent to the defect.

16. Method as defined in claim 3, wherein prior to the preparation of the implant the defect image is taken with the second image generating device and wherein after the defect image has been taken the second calibration member is superimposed onto the defect image in or adjacent to the defect.

17. Method as defined in claim 15, wherein in order to take the defect image the second image generating device is aligned in such a manner that its optical axis is aligned at right angles or essentially at right angles to a plane defined by the defect.

18. Method as defined in claim 3, wherein a digital camera is used as second image generating device.

19. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein a processing path corresponding to the defect contour is drawn onto the implant material with the processing tool.

20. Method as defined in claim 19, wherein a marking pen for marking the processing path on the implant material is used as processing tool.

21. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein the implant to be prepared is cut out of the implant material with the processing tool.

22. Method as defined in claim 21, wherein a cutting tool is used as processing tool.

23. Method as defined in claim 22, wherein a laser or a scalpel is used as cutting tool.

24. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein a cartilage replacement implant is prepared from a cartilage replacement implant material with the method.

25. Device for preparing an implant from an implant material, said implant serving to fill a defect in a human or animal body, comprising an input device for transferring a defect image of the defect having a defect contour to the device, wherein a first calibration member arranged in or adjacent to the defect is displayed on the defect image, wherein a first image generating device is provided for taking a real-time image of a second calibration member arranged on or adjacent to the implant material to be processed, wherein the first calibration member corresponds to the second calibration member, wherein a display device is provided for displaying and superimposing the real-time image and the defect image, wherein the device is designed in such a manner that the first and the second calibration members are adapted to be displayed with the display device one on top of the other in the same shape and size and wherein a processing tool movable along the defect contour displayed in the defect image is adapted to be displayed at the same time with the display device in real time.

26. Device as defined in claim 25, wherein the device comprises a data processing device and wherein the data processing device is designed to interact with the input device and with the first image generating device.

27. Device as defined in claim 26, wherein the data processing device is designed in such a manner that the defect image and/or the real-time image are adapted to be displayed on the display device so as to be alterable in their size and position.

28. Device as defined in claim 25, wherein a method for preparing an implant from an implant material, said implant serving to fill a defect in a human or animal body, wherein a defect image of the defect having a defect contour is made available, a first calibration member arranged in or adjacent to the defect being displayed in said image, wherein a second calibration member is arranged on or adjacent to the implant material to be processed, said second calibration member corresponding to the first calibration member, wherein a real-time image of the implant material is taken and displayed in real time on a display device, wherein the defect image made available is displayed on the display device and superimposed on the real-time image in such a manner that the first and the second calibration members are displayed one on top of the other in the same shape and size and wherein a processing tool is displayed in the real-time image on the display device and moved over the implant material in such a manner that it follows the defect contour displayed in the defect image on the display device, is adapted to be carried out with the device.