PROXIMITY-TRIGGERED COMPUTER-ASSISTED SURGERY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120053488A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ORTHOsoft ULC. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Orthosoft Inc. (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boutin, Yannick, Abiven, Jean-Guillaume, Chevrier, Mathieu
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/254 being adapted depending on the stage of the surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• 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 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A computer-assisted surgery system comprises a first surgical device with a tracking unit tracked during a surgical procedure and adapted to perform a first function associated to the surgical procedure. A second surgical device is adapted to perform a second function associated to the surgical procedure. A triggered unit is triggered when the first surgical device and the second surgical device reach a predetermined proximity relation. A surgical procedure processing unit tracks the first surgical device. A trigger detector detects a triggering of the triggered unit. A CAS application operates steps of a surgical procedure. A controller commands the CAS application to activate a selected step associated with the second function in the surgical procedure when the trigger detector signals a detection. An interface displays information about the selected step in the surgical procedure.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted surgery system comprising:

a first surgical device with a tracking unit tracked during a surgical procedure and adapted to perform a first function associated to the surgical procedure;

a second surgical device adapted to perform a second function associated to the surgical procedure;

a triggered unit triggered when the first surgical device and the second surgical device reach a predetermined proximity relation;

a surgical procedure processing unit tracking at least the first surgical device, the surgical procedure processor comprising;

a trigger detector detecting a triggering of the triggered unit;

a computer-assisted surgery application operating steps of a surgical procedure;

a controller for commanding the computer-assisted surgery application to activate a selected step associated with the second function in the surgical procedure when the trigger detector signals a detection; and

an interface for displaying information about the selected step in the surgical procedure.

2. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 1, wherein one of the surgical devices has a female connector, another of the surgical devices has a male connector, whereby the surgical devices interconnect in a mating engagement of the male and female connectors.

3. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 2, wherein the triggered unit is a switch and the predetermined proximity relation is the mating engagement, whereby the switch is triggered by the mating engagement of the male and the female connector.

4. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 1, wherein the first surgical device is a reference tool mounted to the bone for tracking of the bone.

5. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 4, wherein the second surgical device is a digitizing tool releasably connected to the reference tool for determining an axis of the bone.

6. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 1, further comprising a conditions database in one of the triggered unit and the trigger detector to confirm that the predetermined proximity relation is in accordance with conditions of the conditions database.

7. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 1, wherein the next step is a change of mode, and the interface automatically changes mode when the trigger detector signals a detection.

8. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 1, wherein the second surgical device has a tracking unit for being tracked during the surgical procedure.

9. The computer-assisted surgery system according to claim 1, wherein the tracking unit comprises a micro-electromechanical system.

10. A method for progressing through steps of a surgical procedure of a computer-assisted surgery application, comprising:

tracking at least a first surgical device adapted to perform a first function associated with the surgical procedure;

detecting a predetermined proximity relation between the first surgical device and a second surgical device adapted to perform a second function associated with the surgical procedure;

activating a selected step of the surgical procedure associated with the second function when the predetermined proximity relation is detected; and

displaying information related to the selected step.

11. The method according to claim 10, further wherein tracking the first surgical device comprises receiving tracking data from a micro-electromechanical system.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein detecting the predetermined proximity relation comprises detecting a mating engagement between the first surgical device and the second surgical device.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising tracking the second surgical device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein tracking the second surgical device comprises tracking the second surgical device from the tracking of the first surgical device and from a known geometry of the mating engagement between the surgical devices.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein displaying information related to the selected step comprises displaying information related to the tracking of the second surgical device.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising confirming that the detected predetermined proximity relation respects predetermined conditions prior to activating the selected step.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein tracking the first surgical device comprises tracking a tibial reference on a tibia of a patient.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising tracking the second surgical device with the second surgical device being a tibial digitizer, and wherein displaying information related to the selected step comprises displaying a tibial axis.