INSTRUMENTED ORTHOPEDIC AND OTHER MEDICAL IMPLANTS
First Claim
1. A biocompatible implant comprising a transducer, a controller comprising an integrated circuit and a radio communication device integrated with the integrated circuit wherein the integrated circuit is in electrical communication with the transducer.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Medical implants can comprise various instrumentation to impart desirable functionality to the implant. In some embodiments, the implants comprise functional structures, such as sensors, energy propagating transducers, drug delivery systems and the like. Additional instrumentation to facilitate the functionality of these devices can include, for example, microprocessors, communication systems, power sources or the like. Drug delivery systems can comprise, for example, an isolated reservoir with a control system to control the delivery of a biological agent from the reservoir. The implants can be orthopedic implants that are designed to interface with a patient'"'"'s skeletal system wherein the orthopedic implant may itself embody sensors, processors, power supplies, memory and/or communication capability.
35 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A biocompatible implant comprising a transducer, a controller comprising an integrated circuit and a radio communication device integrated with the integrated circuit wherein the integrated circuit is in electrical communication with the transducer.
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2. The biocompatible implant of claim 1 further comprising a sensor operably connected to the controller.
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3. The biocompatible implant of claim 1 further comprising an energy propagating transducer operably connected to the controller.
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4. The biocompatible implant of claim 1 configured for contact with a patient'"'"'s skeletal system.
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5. The biocompatible implant of claim 1 wherein the integrated circuit comprises a microprocessor.
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6. A biocompatible implant comprising a controller, a communications system operably connected to the controller having both transmitting and receiving capability, a measurement transducer operably connected to the controller and a treatment transducer operably connected to the controller.
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7. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 further comprising a frame that supports the controller, the communications system, the measurement transducer and the treatment transducer.
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8. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 comprising a plurality of frames with each frame corresponding to an implant component with wired or wireless communication between the implant components.
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9. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the controller comprise a microprocessor.
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10. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the measurement transducer is selected from the group consisting of a chemical sensor, a temperature sensor, a position sensor, a strain gauge, an accelerometer, or a combination thereof.
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11. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the therapeutic transducer is associated with a drug delivery device.
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12. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein therapeutic transducer comprises an energy propagating transducer.
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13. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the communication system is in communication with a central database.
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14. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the central database provides instructions to the controller based on information previously communicated from the controller.
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15. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the measurement transducer comprises a strain gauge, a pressure sensor, a volume sensor, a variable resistance sensor or a combination thereof.
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16. The biocompatible implant of claim 6 wherein the central database evaluates and reprograms protocols based on current best practices.
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17. A method for operating an implanted medical device, the method comprising transmitting from the medical device data corresponding to a condition within the patient and receiving instructions regarding the future operation of the medical device.
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18. The method of claim 17 wherein the implanted medical device communicates with a central server that comprises a best practices database and wherein the instructions from the central database to the implanted medical device are based on an evaluation of the data transmitted from the implanted device in view of best practices.
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19. The method of claim 17 wherein the data is transmitted over the internet.
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20. The method of claim 17 wherein the instructions are prepared by a processor automatically.
Specification