Surgical measurement systems and methods
First Claim
1. A method of conducting measurements on a spine of a patient through the use of a measurement tool comprising a registration interface, a contact feature, and a displacement structure that couples the contact feature to the registration interface, the method comprising:
- attaching a frame directly to a first bone portion such that the frame abuts the first bone portion;
coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion, wherein the registration interface comprises a bore having a noncircular shape, wherein the first bone portion is part of the spine, wherein coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion comprises inserting a post of the frame into the bore to couple the registration interface to the first bone portion, wherein coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion comprises limiting relative translation between the registration interface and the first bone portion along three nonparallel directions;
restricting relative rotation between the registration interface and the first bone portion in response to coupling of the registration interface to the first bone portion;
moving the displacement structure to position the contact feature in contact with a bony landmark, wherein the bony landmark is part of the spine; and
acquiring data from the displacement structure to indicate a displacement of the bony landmark with respect to the registration interface in at least two dimensions.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A measurement tool is designed to measure the relative displacements between two bony landmarks of a spine, such as pedicles and facet surfaces. The measurement tool may have a registration interface designed to be registered to a first bony landmark, and a contact feature shaped to contact a second bony landmark. The registration interface may be registered to a frame rigidly coupled relative to the first bony landmark. The measurement tool also has a displacement structure that permits motion of the contact feature relative to the registration interface along multiple dimensions. The displacement structure may have two or three sliding joints that enable relative translation along orthogonal axes. Each sliding joint may have a rod with a plurality of markings that can easily be read to acquire measurement from the displacement structure.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of conducting measurements on a spine of a patient through the use of a measurement tool comprising a registration interface, a contact feature, and a displacement structure that couples the contact feature to the registration interface, the method comprising:
-
attaching a frame directly to a first bone portion such that the frame abuts the first bone portion; coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion, wherein the registration interface comprises a bore having a noncircular shape, wherein the first bone portion is part of the spine, wherein coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion comprises inserting a post of the frame into the bore to couple the registration interface to the first bone portion, wherein coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion comprises limiting relative translation between the registration interface and the first bone portion along three nonparallel directions; restricting relative rotation between the registration interface and the first bone portion in response to coupling of the registration interface to the first bone portion; moving the displacement structure to position the contact feature in contact with a bony landmark, wherein the bony landmark is part of the spine; and acquiring data from the displacement structure to indicate a displacement of the bony landmark with respect to the registration interface in at least two dimensions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for measuring a location of a bony landmark through the use of a measurement tool comprising a registration interface, a contact feature, and a displacement structure that couples the contact feature to the registration interface, the method comprising:
-
attaching a frame directly to a first bone portion such that the frame abuts the first bone portion; coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion such that relative translation between the registration interface and the first bone portion is limited along three nonparallel directions, wherein the registration interface comprises a bore having a noncircular shape, wherein the first bone portion is part of the spine, wherein coupling the registration interface to the first bone portion comprises inserting a post of the frame into the bore to couple the registration interface to the first bone portion; restricting relative rotation between the registration interface and the first bone portion in response to coupling of the registration interface to the first bone portion; moving the displacement structure to position the contact feature in contact with a bony landmark; and acquiring data from the displacement structure to indicate a displacement of the bony landmark with respect to the registration interface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method comprising:
-
attaching a frame directly to a pedicle of the first vertebra such that the frame abuts the pedicle of the first vertebra; coupling a first end of a measurement tool to the pedicle of the first vertebra, of a spine of a wherein the first end comprises a bore having a noncircular shape, wherein coupling the first end to the pedicle of the first vertebra comprises inserting a post of the frame into the bore to couple the first end to the pedicle of the first vertebra, wherein coupling the first end to the pedicle of the first vertebra comprises limiting relative translation between the first end and the pedicle of the first vertebra along three nonparallel directions; restricting relative rotation between the first end and the pedicle of the first vertebra in response to coupling of the first end to the pedicle of the first vertebra; coupling a second end of the measurement tool to a bony landmark selected from the group consisting of a most medial and anterior surface of a facet of the first vertebra, and a pedicle of a second vertebra; and acquiring data from a displacement structure that couples the first and second ends together, wherein the data indicates at least one of a position and an orientation of the bony landmark with respect to the pedicle of the first vertebra. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification