SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ALIGNMENT IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

• US 20140276864A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthromeda, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arthromeda, Inc.
• Inventors: Aghazadeh, Mehran S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,597,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/155 Cutting femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/157 Cutting tibia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4632 using computer-controlled surgery, e.g. robotic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4633 for selection of endoprosthetic joints or for pre-operative planning
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4668 for measuring angles

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing alignment in total knee arthroplasty operations are provided herein. The systems and methods generally include a plurality of sensors coupled to a patient'"'"'s bones or other surgical tools, the sensors detect their position and orientation in space and communicate this information to a processor. The processor can utilize the information to display data to a surgeon or other user regarding the position, angle, and alignment of a patient'"'"'s bones, surgical tools, and the reconstructed knee joint.

Claims

1. A system for optimizing the alignment of a bone cutting guide for placement of a total knee prosthesis component comprising:

a first bone sensor having a sensor for determining the orientation of the first bone sensor and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly, the first bone sensor being adapted to be fixed to a first bone;

a first bone guide having a plurality of probes configured to contact anatomical features of the first bone to establish a known geometry with respect to a mechanical axis of the first bone, the first bone guide including a first bone guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the first bone guide and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly;

a first bone cutting guide having one or more features for attaching to the patient'"'"'s anatomy proximate to the first bone, the first bone cutting guide including a first bone cutting guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the first bone cutting guide and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly; and

a processing unit comprising a computer processor coupled to a non-transitory memory and a display, the memory storing software instructions causing the computer processor to;

i) receive orientation data wirelessly from the first bone sensor;

ii) receive orientation data wirelessly from the first bone guide sensor;

iii) apply the orientation data from the first bone guide sensor and the first bone sensor to calculate angular offsets that calibrate the first bone sensor'"'"'s orientation data to reflect the orientation of the mechanical axis of the first bone;

iv) receive orientation data wirelessly from the first bone cutting guide sensor;

v) display to a user a difference between the orientation of the mechanical axis of the first bone and the orientation of the first bone cutting guide.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first bone is a tibia.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first bone guide includes at least one tubercle probe and at least one malleolus probe.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first bone guide further includes a spine probe and at least two malleolus probes.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first bone cutting guide is arranged to guide a cut that is oriented at a 90 degree angle to the mechanical axis of the first bone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first bone is a femur.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first bone guide is configured to contact the femoral shaft.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first bone guide includes two parallel and equal height probes for contacting the femoral shaft.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second bone sensor having a sensor for determining the orientation of the second bone sensor and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly, the second bone sensor being adapted to be fixed to a second bone;

a second bone guide having a plurality of probes configured to contact anatomical features of the second bone to establish a known geometry with respect to a mechanical axis of the second bone, the second bone guide including a second bone guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the second bone guide and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly;

a second bone cutting guide having one or more features for attaching to the patient'"'"'s anatomy proximate to the second bone, the second bone cutting guide including a second bone cutting guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the second bone cutting guide and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly; and

the non-transitory memory of the processing unit further comprising software instructions causing the computer processor to;

i) receive orientation data wirelessly from the second bone sensor;

ii) receive orientation data wirelessly from the second bone guide sensor;

iii) apply the orientation data from the second bone guide sensor and the second bone sensor to calculate angular offsets that calibrate the second bone sensor'"'"'s orientation data to reflect the orientation of the mechanical axis of the second bone;

iv) receive orientation data wirelessly from the second bone cutting guide sensor;

v) display to a user a difference between the orientation of the mechanical axis of the second bone and the orientation of the second bone cutting guide.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first bone is a tibia and the second bone is a femur.

11. A computer implemented method for aligning a cutting guide for a total knee arthroplasty in a patient using a processing unit comprising a computer processor coupled to a non-transitory memory, a receiver, and a display, the method comprising:

i) receiving by the processing unit orientation data wirelessly from a first bone sensor attached to the patient'"'"'s first bone;

ii) receiving by the processing unit orientation data wirelessly from a first bone guide sensor, the first bone guide sensor being attached to a first bone guide that includes probes for interfacing with the first bone in a known geometry;

iii) calculating by the processing unit, based on the orientation data from the first bone guide sensor and the first bone sensor, angular offsets that calibrate the first bone sensor'"'"'s orientation data to reflect the orientation of the mechanical axis of the first bone;

iv) receiving by the processing unit orientation data wirelessly from a first bone cutting guide sensor that is attached to a first bone cutting guide that is connected to the patient;

v) displaying by the processing unit to a user a difference between the orientation of the mechanical axis of the first bone and the orientation of the first bone cutting guide.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first bone is a tibia.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first bone cutting guide is arranged to guide a cut that is oriented at a 90 degree angle to the mechanical axis of the first bone.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first bone is a femur.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

vi) receiving by the processing unit orientation data wirelessly from a second bone sensor attached to the patient'"'"'s second bone;

vii) receiving by the processing unit orientation data wirelessly from a second bone guide sensor, the second bone guide sensor being attached to a second bone guide that includes probes for interfacing with the second bone in a known geometry;

viii) calculating by the processing unit, based on the orientation data from the second bone guide sensor and the second bone sensor, angular offsets that calibrate the second bone sensor'"'"'s orientation data to reflect the orientation of the mechanical axis of the second bone;

ix) receiving by the processing unit orientation data wirelessly from a second bone cutting guide sensor that is attached to a second bone cutting guide that is connected to the patient;

x) displaying by the processing unit to a user a difference between the orientation of the mechanical axis of the second bone and the orientation of the second bone cutting guide.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first bone is a tibia and the second bone is a femur.

17. A method for aligning a cutting guide for total knee arthroplasty on a patient comprising:

attaching a first bone sensor to the patient'"'"'s first bone, the first bone sensor having a sensor for determining the orientation of the first bone sensor and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly;

contacting a first bone guide to the patient'"'"'s first bone, the first bone guide having a plurality of probes configured to contact anatomical features of the first bone to establish a known geometry with respect to a mechanical axis of the first bone, the first bone guide including a first bone guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the first bone;

comparing the orientation data from the first bone sensor to the orientation data from the first bone guide sensor to calibrate the first bone sensor with respect to a mechanical axis of the first bone;

applying a first bone cutting guide to the patient'"'"'s first bone, the first bone cutting guide having one or more features for attaching to the patient'"'"'s anatomy proximate to the first bone, the first bone cutting guide including a first bone cutting guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the first bone cutting; and

comparing the orientation data from the first bone sensor with the orientation data from the first bone cutting guide sensor to determine the alignment between the first cutting guide and the mechanical axis of the patient'"'"'s first bone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first bone is a tibia.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first bone cutting guide is arranged to guide a cut that is oriented at a 90 degree angle to the mechanical axis of the first bone.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first bone is a femur.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

attaching a second bone sensor to the patient'"'"'s second bone, the second bone sensor having a sensor for determining the orientation of the second bone sensor and a transmitter for transmitting orientation data wirelessly;

contacting a second bone guide to the patient'"'"'s second bone, the second bone guide having a plurality of probes configured to contact anatomical features of the second bone to establish a known geometry with respect to a mechanical axis of the second bone, the second bone guide including a second bone guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the second bone guide;

comparing the orientation data from the second bone sensor to the orientation data from the second bone guide sensor to calibrate the second bone sensor with respect to a mechanical axis of the second bone;

applying a second bone cutting guide to the patient'"'"'s second bone, the second bone cutting guide having one or more features for attaching to the patient'"'"'s anatomy proximate to the second bone, the second bone cutting guide including a second bone cutting guide sensor having a sensor determining the orientation of the second bone cutting guide; and

comparing the orientation data from the second bone sensor with the orientation data from the second bone cutting guide sensor to determine the alignment between the second bone cutting guide and the mechanical axis of the patient'"'"'s second bone.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first bone is a tibia and the second bone is a femur.