Method and Apparatus for Aligning and Securing an Implant Relative to a Patient

• US 20100249796A1
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nycz, Jeffrey H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,337,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/99
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/34 Acetabular cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4607 of hip femoral endoprostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4609 of acetabular cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4684 Trial or dummy prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4629 connected to the endoprosthesis or implant via a threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4632 using computer-controlled surgery, e.g. robotic surgery

Abstract

A surgical instrument for implanting a prosthetic member. The instrument includes an orientation sensor that detects an initial orientation of the prosthetic member and an implanting orientation of the prosthetic member. The instrument further includes a memory module and an input device that receives a user input to transfer the initial orientation detected by the orientation sensor into the memory module for storage. Furthermore, the instrument includes an orientation feedback device that selectively provides an orientation feedback signal to a user. Moreover, the instrument includes a controller that causes the orientation feedback device to provide the orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation detected by the orientation sensor is substantially equal to the initial orientation stored in the memory module.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for implanting a prosthetic member comprising:

an orientation sensor that detects an initial orientation of the prosthetic member and an implanting orientation of the prosthetic member;

a memory module;

an input device that receives a user input to transfer the initial orientation detected by the orientation sensor into the memory module for storage;

an orientation feedback device that selectively provides an orientation feedback signal to a user; and

a controller that causes the orientation feedback device to provide the orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation detected by the orientation sensor is substantially equal to the initial orientation stored in the memory module.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a housing that houses the orientation sensor, the housing being removably coupled relative to the prosthetic member to position a housing axis of the housing at a known orientation relative to a prosthesis axis of the prosthetic member.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the housing is alternatively and removably coupled relative to both a trial prosthetic member and a primary prosthetic member.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 2, further comprising a coupling member that removably couples the housing to the prosthetic member.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 2, further comprising an impactor tool that transfers a load along a load axis to the prosthetic member to implant the prosthetic member, wherein the impactor tool is removably coupled relative to the prosthetic member to position the load axis at a known orientation relative to the prosthesis axis, and wherein the housing is removably coupled to the impactor tool to position the housing axis at a known orientation relative to both the load axis and the prosthesis axis.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the housing includes an aperture that receives the impactor tool to removably couple to the impactor tool.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5, wherein the housing includes a visual indicator that indicates a location of the housing axis.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 5, further comprising a keying feature that allows the housing to be coupled to the impactor tool only at the known orientation relative to both the load axis and the prosthesis axis.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the input device is a button that is moveably mounted to the housing.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the orientation sensor includes an accelerometer that detects the initial orientation and the implanting orientation of the prosthetic member relative to a direction of gravity.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the orientation feedback device includes at least one of a visual feedback device that emits a visual feedback signal, an audible feedback device that emits an audible feedback signal, and a tactile feedback device that emits a tactile feedback signal.

12. A method of implanting a prosthetic member comprising:

detecting an initial orientation of the prosthetic member;

saving the initial orientation into a memory module as a result of receiving a user input;

detecting an implanting orientation of the prosthetic member; and

providing an orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation of the prosthetic member is substantially equal to the initial orientation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the initial orientation of the prosthetic member comprises removably coupling a prosthesis implanting apparatus with an orientation sensor to a trial prosthetic member and detecting the initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member with the orientation sensor, and wherein detecting the implanting orientation comprises removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to a primary prosthetic member and detecting the implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic member with the orientation sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the implanting orientation further comprises removably coupling an impactor tool to the primary prosthetic member and removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising impacting the impactor tool to transfer an impact force via the impactor tool to the primary prosthetic member and to drive the primary prosthetic member toward a target location within a patient.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool comprises keying the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool at a known orientation relative thereto.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the user input due to manipulation of an input device by a user.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting the initial orientation and the implanting orientation of the prosthetic member relative to a direction of gravity.

19. A prosthesis implantation system for implanting a prosthetic member comprising:

a trial prosthetic acetabular cup defining a trial axis;

a primary prosthetic acetabular cup defining a primary axis;

an impactor tool that removably couples to the primary prosthetic acetabular cup and transfers a load along a load axis to implant the primary prosthetic acetabular cup; and

a prosthesis implanting apparatus that includes;

a housing defining a housing axis, the housing being removably coupled to the trial prosthetic acetabular cup to position the housing axis at a known orientation relative to the trial axis, the housing being alternatively and removably coupled to the impactor tool to position the housing axis at a known orientation relative to the primary axis;

an orientation sensor that detects an initial orientation of the housing axis and an implanting orientation of the housing axis relative to a direction of gravity;

a memory module;

an input device that receives a user input to transfer the initial orientation detected by the orientation sensor into the memory module for storage;

an orientation feedback device that selectively provides an orientation feedback signal; and

a controller that causes the orientation feedback device to provide the orientation feedback signal when the prosthesis implanting apparatus is coupled to the impactor tool and when the implanting orientation is substantially equal to the initial orientation stored in the memory module.

20. A method of implanting a primary prosthetic acetabular cup comprising:

removably coupling a prosthesis implanting apparatus with an orientation sensor to a trial prosthetic acetabular cup;

detecting an initial orientation of the trial prosthetic acetabular cup with the orientation sensor;

saving the initial orientation into a memory module as a result of receiving a user input;

removing the prosthesis implanting apparatus from the trial prosthetic acetabular cup;

removably coupling an impactor tool to the primary prosthetic acetabular cup;

removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool;

detecting an implanting orientation of the prosthesis implanting apparatus with the orientation sensor;

providing an orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation is substantially equal to the initial orientation; and

implanting the primary prosthetic acetabular cup at the initial orientation.