Computer-based training methods for surgical procedures

• US 7,427,200 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Conditt, Philip C. Noble
• Original Assignee: Michael Conditt, Philip C. Noble
• Inventors: Noble, Philip C., Conditt, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHTA, PARIKHA SOLANKI
• Application Number:
  US10/417,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 434/274, 703/11, 600/416, 378/20
• US Class Current: 434/274
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

A method is disclosed for analyzing surgical techniques using a computer system for gathering and analyzing surgical data acquired during a surgical procedure on a body portion and comparing that data to pre-selected target values for the particular surgical procedure. The inventive method allows the surgeon, for example, to measure the technical success of a surgical procedure in terms of quantifiable geometric, spatial, kinematic or kinetic parameters. The method comprises calculation of these parameters from data collected during a surgical procedure and then comparing these results with values of the same parameters derived from target values defined by the surgeon, surgical convention, or computer simulation of the same procedure prior to the operation itself.

Claims

1. A method suitable for analyzing surgical techniques, said method comprising:

a. generating three-dimensional computer models of orthopedic devices, said devices selected from the group of orthopedic instruments and implants, wherein data corresponding to said models is stored in a memory system of a computer;

b. generating three-dimensional models of a targeted surgical site on a body portion based upon tomographic data stored in the memory system for the surgical site;

c. inputting into said memory select target values corresponding to one or more measurable technical parameters associated with said surgical procedure, said parameters selected from the group consisting of three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of bones, three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of soft tissue structures, three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of said orthopedic devices for surgery, and predicted values corresponding to range and forces associated with physiologic joint motion and joint laxity;

d. attaching one or more tracking devices to said body near said target surgical site, said tracking devices operatively in communication with said computer system;

e. performing a surgical procedure on said target surgical site;

f. communicating tracking data generated during said surgical procedure to said computer system;

g. calculating actual values based upon said tracking data, said actual values corresponding to said technical parameters set for the surgical procedure; and

h. comparing said target values and said actual values of said technical parameters after performing said surgical procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording data generated during said surgical procedure via said tracking devices for storage of said data onto said computer memory system, said data selected from the group consisting of positioning of said orthopedic devices, bones, and soft tissue structures.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing said comparison of said target values and said actual values as a training tool.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising generating a final three-dimensional model corresponding to said three-dimensional models of said orthopedic devices and body portion post-surgery, said final model showing actual responses of anatomical features to loading forces based upon said actual values calculated as compared to predicted responses of said anatomical features to loading forces based upon said target values inputted, said anatomical features selected from the group consisting of bones and soft tissue structures.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said actual and predicted responses to said loading forces displayed on said final three-dimensional model are selected from the group consisting of a) geometry of space between resected bony surfaces, b) overall position of a bone or extremity, c) changes in length of a bone or extremity, d) magnitude or distribution of mechanical axes, e) magnitude or distribution of anatomic axes, f) positions selected by a surgeon, and e) positions pre-determined by consensus or convention within a surgical community.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of said orthopedic devices during said surgical procedure.

7. The method of claim 5, where said final three-dimensional model is used as a surgical training tool for understanding errors and reasons for said errors that occurred during said surgical procedure.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of surgical techniques used during said surgical procedure.

9. A method suitable for analyzing surgical techniques, said method comprising:

a. generating three-dimensional computer models of orthopedic devices, said devices selected from the group of orthopedic instruments and implants, wherein data corresponding to said models is stored in a memory system of a computer;

b. generating three-dimensional models of a targeted surgical site on a body portion based upon tomographic data stored in the memory system for the surgical site;

c. inputting into said memory select target values corresponding to one or more measurable technical parameters associated with said surgical procedure, said parameters selected from the group consisting of three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of bones, three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of soft tissue structures, three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of said orthopedic devices for surgery, and values corresponding to range and loading forces associated with physiologic joint motion and joint laxity;

d. attaching one or more tracking devices to said body portion, said tracking devices operatively in communication with said computer system;

e. performing a surgical procedure on said target surgical site;

f. communicating tracking data generated during said surgical procedure to said computer system;

g. calculating actual values based upon said tracking data, said actual values corresponding to said technical parameters set for the surgical procedure;

h. training a surgeon after the surgery by reviewing the calculated actual values and the target values corresponding to said technical parameters.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein training the surgeon further comprises comparing said target values and said actual values of said technical parameters after performing said surgical procedure.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising recording data generated during said surgical procedure via said tracking devices for storage of said data onto said computer memory system, said data selected from the group consisting of positioning of said orthopedic devices, bones, and soft tissue structures.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating a graph for comparing one or more of said actual values to said target values.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said graph comprises an X-axis and a Y-axis, each of said axes corresponding to a range of technical parameters, said graph further including one or more visual target zones corresponding to an acceptable range of said target values, and wherein said actual values calculated for said technical parameters labeled on said axes are visually plotted on said graph either within or outside said one or more target zones.

14. The method of claim 13, where said final three-dimensional model is used as a surgical training tool for understanding errors and reasons for said errors that occurred during said surgical procedure.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of said orthopedic devices during said surgical procedure.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of surgical techniques used during said surgical procedure.

17. A method suitable for analyzing surgical techniques, said method comprising:

a. generating three-dimensional computer models of orthopedic devices, said devices selected from the group of orthopedic instruments and implants, wherein data corresponding to said models is stored in a memory system of a computer;

b. generating three-dimensional models of a targeted surgical site on a body portion based upon tomographic data stored in the memory system for the surgical site;

p1 c. inputting into said memory select target values corresponding to one or more measurable technical parameters associated with said surgical procedure, said parameters selected from the group consisting of three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of bones, three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of soft tissue structures, three-dimensional positioning and dimensions of said orthopedic devices for surgery, and values corresponding to range and loading forces associated with physiologic joint motion and joint laxity;

d. attaching one or more tracking devices to said body portion, said tracking devices operatively in communication with said computer system;

e. performing a surgical procedure on said target surgical site;

f. recording data during said surgical procedure via said tracking devices for storage of said data onto said computer memory system, said data selected from the group consisting of positioning of said orthopedic devices, bones, and soft tissue structures;

g. calculating actual values based upon said tracking data, said actual values corresponding to said technical parameters set for the surgical procedure; and

h. comparing said target values and said actual values of said technical parameters after performing said surgical procedure.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said body portion is an inanimate anatomical model.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said body portion is from a cadaver.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said body portion is a live patient.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising utilizing said comparison of said target values and said actual values as a training tool.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

comparing said actual values from two or more surgical procedures to said target values to determine optimal positioning of said surgical instruments with respect to said bones and soft tissue structures of future target surgical sites in order to creating a preoperative surgical plan based upon said determination of optimal positioning.

23. The method of claim 21 further compromising:

generating a final model corresponding to said models of said surgical devices and body portion post-surgery, said final model showing actual positions compared to targeted positions of said devices with respect to selected anatomical features within said targeted surgical site of said body, wherein said actual positions correspond to said actual values calculated and said targeted positions correspond to said target values inputted.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising generating a final three-dimensional model corresponding to said three-dimensional models of said orthopedic devices and body portion post-surgery, said final model showing actual positions compared to targeted positions of said orthopedic devices with respect to selected anatomical features within said targeted surgical site of said body portion, said anatomical features selected from the group consisting of bones and soft tissue structures, and wherein said actual positions correspond to said actual values calculated and said targeted positions correspond to said target values inputted.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said final three-dimensional model shows differences between a) actual positions of said orthopedic devices with respect to said anatomical features and b) target positions of said orthopedic device with respect to said anatomical features, said target positions defined by one or more of the group consisting of i) fixed anatomic landmarks, ii) derived mechanical axes, iii) derived anatomic axes, iv) positions selected by a surgeon, and v) positions pre-determined by consensus or convention within a surgical community.

26. The method of claim 25, where said final three-dimensional model is used as a surgical training tool for understanding errors and reasons for said errors that occurred during said surgical procedure.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of said orthopedic devices during said surgical procedure.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of surgical techniques used during said surgical procedure.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

comparing said target values and said actual values of said technical parameters for at least one of said procedural steps by generating a final three-dimensional model corresponding to said three-dimensional models of said orthopedic devices and body portion post-surgery, said final model showing actual positions of said orthopedic devices with respect to said body to targeted positions of said devices with respect to said body for at least one of said procedural steps, said actual positions corresponding to said actual values calculated, and said targeted positions corresponding to said target values inputted.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said final three-dimensional model shows differences between a) actual positions of said orthopedic devices with respect to said anatomical features and b) target positions of said orthopedic device with respect to anatomical features, said target positions defined by one or more of the group consisting of i) fixed anatomic landmarks, ii) derived mechanical axes, iii) derived anatomic axes, iv) positions selected by a surgeon, and v) positions pre-determined by consensus or convention within a surgical community.

31. The method of claim 30, where said final three-dimensional model is used as a surgical training tool for understanding errors and reasons for said errors that occurred during said surgical procedure.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said final three-dimensional model is used to evaluate performance characteristics of one or more of said orthopedic devices during said surgical procedure.

33. The method of claim 21 further comprising generating one or more graphs for comparing one or more actual values to said target values.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said graph comprises an X-axis and a Y-axis, each of said axes corresponding to a range of technical parameters, said graph further including one or more visual target zones corresponding to an acceptable range of said target values, and wherein said actual values calculated for said technical parameters labeled on said axes are visually plotted on said graph either within or outside said one or more target zones.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said each of said two or more surgical procedures are identical, each performed by different individuals, such that upon further analysis of said graph, individual surgical performances of each of said individuals may be compared.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said each of said two or more surgical procedures are identical, each performed by different individuals, such that upon further analysis of said graph, individual surgical performances of each of said individuals may be compared.