TOOL AND METHOD FOR DIGITAL ACQUISITION OF A TIBIAL MECHANICAL AXIS
First Claim
1. A tool for digitizing a mechanical axis of a tibia using a computer-assisted surgery system, the tool comprising:
- an upper mounting end and a lower mounting end interconnected by an alignment rod extending therebetween, the upper mounting end being releasably fastenable to an upper reference point on a tibial plateau and the lower mounting end having a self-centering malleoli engaging mechanism thereon, the self-centering malleoli engaging mechanism including opposed caliper arms each having a malleolus clamp, the caliper arms being displaceable in a common plane relative to each other for clamping engagement with the medial and lateral malleoli, such that a midpoint between the caliper arms corresponds to a lower reference point defined midway between the medial and lateral malleoli; and
at least one trackable member mounted to the alignment rod of the tool, the trackable member being in communication with the computer-assisted surgery system for providing at least orientation information thereto;
wherein the alignment rod is aligned parallel with the mechanical axis of the tibia which extends between the upper reference point and the lower reference point when the tool is mounted on the tibia.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tool for digitizing a mechanical axis of a tibia using a computer-assisted surgery system is described. The tool includes upper and lower mounting ends interconnected by an alignment rod extending therebetween. The upper mounting end is releasably fastenable to an upper reference point on a tibial plateau and the lower mounting end includes a self-centering malleoli engaging mechanism having opposed caliper arms displaceable in a common plane relative to each other for clamping engagement with the medial and lateral malleoli of the ankle. At least one trackable member is mounted to the alignment rod of the tool and is in communication with the computer assisted surgery system for providing at least orientation information of the alignment rod. The mechanical axis of the tibia is parallel to the alignment rod and extends between the upper and lower reference points when the tool is mounted on the tibia.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A tool for digitizing a mechanical axis of a tibia using a computer-assisted surgery system, the tool comprising:
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an upper mounting end and a lower mounting end interconnected by an alignment rod extending therebetween, the upper mounting end being releasably fastenable to an upper reference point on a tibial plateau and the lower mounting end having a self-centering malleoli engaging mechanism thereon, the self-centering malleoli engaging mechanism including opposed caliper arms each having a malleolus clamp, the caliper arms being displaceable in a common plane relative to each other for clamping engagement with the medial and lateral malleoli, such that a midpoint between the caliper arms corresponds to a lower reference point defined midway between the medial and lateral malleoli; and at least one trackable member mounted to the alignment rod of the tool, the trackable member being in communication with the computer-assisted surgery system for providing at least orientation information thereto; wherein the alignment rod is aligned parallel with the mechanical axis of the tibia which extends between the upper reference point and the lower reference point when the tool is mounted on the tibia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for determining a mechanical axis of a tibia using an inertial-based computer assisted surgery system and a tibial digitizer having an upper mounting end, a lower mounting end and an alignment rod extending therebetween, the tibial digitizer including at least one inertial sensor in communication with the computer assisted surgery system, the method comprising:
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determining an upper reference point on a tibial plateau of the tibia, the upper reference point being an entry point of the mechanical axis; fastening the upper mounting end of the tibial digitizer to the tibial plateau at the upper reference point; fastening the lower mounting end of the tibial digitizer to medial and lateral malleoli of the ankle; determining a lower reference point located at a midpoint between the medial and lateral malleoli by identifying a corresponding midpoint on the lower mounting end of the tibial digitizer; adjusting an orientation of the alignment rod such that the alignment rod is aligned with an anatomical landmark on the tibia; and using the computer assisted surgery system to determine the mechanical axis of the tibia extending between the upper and lower reference points by providing at least orientation data of the tibial digitizer to the computer assisted surgery system using the inertial sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A digitizing tool for acquiring a mechanical axis of a tibia using a computer assisted surgery system, the tool comprising:
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spaced apart upper and lower mounting ends each having at least one mounting point respectively adapted to be secured to a tibial plateau and malleoli of the tibia, the mounting point of the upper mounting end being fasteneable to the tibial plateau at a mechanical axis entry point defining an upper reference point; an alignment rod extending between and interconnecting the upper and lower mounting ends, the alignment rod defining a longitudinal axis and being disposed a common distance from the mounting points on the upper and lower mounting ends, at least one trackable member mounted to the alignment rod for communication with the computer assisted surgery system, the trackable member producing at least orientation-based data for at least two degrees of freedom in orientation of the sensor and thus of the alignment rod; the lower mounting end including a self-centering malleoli engagement mechanism having a base portion pivotally connected to the alignment rod and opposed caliper arms slideably mounted on the base portion for displacement relative to each other in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the alignment rod, wherein the caliper arms, when displaced towards each other, are adapted to abut the most medial and lateral points on the malleoli to clamp the self-centering malleoli engagement mechanism in place thereto; and wherein a midpoint between the caliper arms of the self-centering malleoli engagement mechanism corresponds to a lower reference point located at a midpoint between the most medial and lateral points on the malleoli, and the mechanical axis extends between the lower reference point and the upper reference point at said common distance from the alignment rod which is aligned parallel thereto. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification