Position sensing system for orthopedic applications
First Claim
1. A surgical tracking system for use by a surgeon, comprising:
- a wireless position sensor, which is adapted to be implanted in a bone of a subject, and generates and transmits sensor signals responsive to externally-applied magnetic fields within a working volume of the tracking system, the sensor signals indicative of coordinates of the position sensor within the bone;
a plurality of field generator coils, which are adapted to generate the magnetic fields so as to define the working volume, the location and orientation of the plurality of field generator coils being known relative to a given reference frame;
a reference structure, to which the field generator coils are fixed in predetermined locations, and which is movable relative to the subject by the surgeon during surgery, the reference structure and the field generator coils being raised, lowered, tilted or shifted by the surgeon during surgery in order to shift the working volume so as to intercept the bone; and
a system controller, which is coupled to receive and process the sensor signals so as to determine the coordinates of the position sensor within the bone and within the given reference frame.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical tracking system includes a wireless position sensor, which is adapted to be implanted in a bone of a subject, and responsively to externally-applied magnetic fields within a working volume of the tracking system, to generate and transmit sensor signals indicative of coordinates of the position sensor within the bone. A plurality of field generator coils are adapted to generate the magnetic fields so as to define the working volume. The field generators are fixed in predetermined locations to a reference structure, which is movable relative to the subject in order to position the working volume so as to intercept the bone. A system controller is coupled to receive and process the sensor signals so as to determine the coordinates of the position sensor within the bone.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A surgical tracking system for use by a surgeon, comprising:
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a wireless position sensor, which is adapted to be implanted in a bone of a subject, and generates and transmits sensor signals responsive to externally-applied magnetic fields within a working volume of the tracking system, the sensor signals indicative of coordinates of the position sensor within the bone; a plurality of field generator coils, which are adapted to generate the magnetic fields so as to define the working volume, the location and orientation of the plurality of field generator coils being known relative to a given reference frame; a reference structure, to which the field generator coils are fixed in predetermined locations, and which is movable relative to the subject by the surgeon during surgery, the reference structure and the field generator coils being raised, lowered, tilted or shifted by the surgeon during surgery in order to shift the working volume so as to intercept the bone; and a system controller, which is coupled to receive and process the sensor signals so as to determine the coordinates of the position sensor within the bone and within the given reference frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for surgery, comprising:
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implanting in a bone of a subject a wireless position sensor, which is adapted to generate and transmit sensor signals responsive to externally-applied magnetic fields, the sensor signals indicative of coordinates of the position sensor within the bone; mounting a plurality of field generator coils in predetermined locations on a reference structure, the location and orientation of the plurality of field generator coils being known relative to a given reference frame; driving the field generator coils to generate the magnetic fields, thus defining a working volume for tracking the wireless position sensor; moving the reference structure and the field generator coils by a surgeon during surgery by raising, lowering, tilting or shifting the reference structure and the field generator coils in order to shift the working volume so as to intercept the bone; and receiving and processing the sensor signals so as to determine the coordinates of the position sensor within the bone and within the given reference frame. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification