Prosthetic component having a compliant surface

• US 8,661,893 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OrthoSensor, Inc (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Stein, Marc, Chase, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US13/406,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20120216611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 733/790.1, 600/587, 623/24, 623/39, 434/268
• US Class Current: 73/379.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0252 Load cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1032 Determining colour for diagnostic purposes measuring colour in general G01J3/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4509 Bone density determination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4571 Evaluating the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4585 Evaluating the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4851 Prosthesis assessment or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/389 Tibial components A61F2/3868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4684 Trial or dummy prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/255 : using acoustic waves, or acoustic emission G01L1/10 and G01L1/16 take precedence

Abstract

A prosthetic component suitable for long-term implantation is provided. The prosthetic component measures a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system is disclosed. The prosthetic component comprises a first structure having at least one support surface, a second structure having at least one feature configured to couple to bone, and at least one sensor. The electronic circuitry and sensors are hermetically sealed within the prosthetic component. The sensor couples to the support surface of the first structure. The support surface of the first structure is compliant. The first and second structure are coupled together housing the at least one sensor. In one embodiment, the first and second structure are welded together forming the hermetic seal that isolates the at least one sensor from an external environment. The at least one sensor can be a pressure sensor for measuring load and position of load.

Claims

1. A prosthetic component configured to measure a force, pressure, or load applied by the muscular-skeletal system comprising a plurality of sensors underlying a support surface of the prosthetic component where the support surface is compliant and the plurality of sensors are hermetically sealed within the prosthetic component from an external environment.

2. The prosthetic component of claim 1 where the prosthetic component comprises a first structure and a second structure, where the first structure includes the support surface, where the second structure includes a feature to couple to bone, and where the first and second structures couple together forming a housing that includes at least one cavity to house electronic circuitry.

3. The prosthetic component of claim 2 where the plurality of sensors measure a force, pressure, or load applied to the support surface of the first structure and a position of applied force, pressure, or load on the support surface of the first structure.

4. The prosthetic component of claim 3 where the plurality of sensors can comprise one of a strain gauge, mems device, mechanical sensor, polymer sensor, ultrasonic waveguide, or capacitor.

5. The prosthetic component of claim 3 further including an insert configured to couple the support surface of the first structure and where the insert includes at least one articular surface.

6. The prosthetic component of claim 5 further including an interconnect where the plurality of sensors are integrated in the interconnect and where the interconnect couples the plurality of sensors to the electronic circuitry.

7. The prosthetic component of claim 6 where the plurality of sensors are elastically compressible capacitors.

8. The prosthetic component of claim 7 where a conductive pad couples between the capacitor and the support surface of the first structure.

9. The prosthetic component of claim 8 where each capacitor includes a shield to prevent parasitic coupling.

10. A prosthetic component for the muscular-skeletal system comprising:

a first structure having at least one compliant surface;

at least one sensor coupled to the at least one compliant surface;

a second structure having a support surface where the support surface is rigid, where the at least one sensor couples to the support surface of the second structure, and where the first and second structures are hermetically sealed forming a housing around the at least one sensor.

11. The prosthetic component of claim 10 further including a load pad between the at least one sensor and the at least one compliant surface of the first structure.

12. The prosthetic component of claim 11 where the prosthetic component further includes at least one cavity for housing electronic circuitry.

13. The prosthetic component of claim 12 where the at least one sensor comprises a capacitor.

14. The prosthetic component of claim 11 where the first and second structures are welded together to form a hermetic seal.

15. The prosthetic component of claim 11 where a plurality of sensors couple to the at least one compliant surface at predetermined locations.

16. A tibial prosthetic component configured to measure a force, pressure, or load comprising a plurality of sensors underlying a support surface of the tibial prosthetic component where the support surface is compliant and the plurality of sensors are hermetically sealed within the tibial prosthetic component from an external environment.

17. The tibial prosthetic component of claim 16 where the tibial prosthetic component comprises

a first structure having a first support surface and a second support surface where a first plurality of sensors couple to the first support surface and where a second plurality of sensors couple to the second support surface;

and

a second structure configured to couple to bone where the first and second structures couple together to form a housing that is hermetically sealed and where the electronic circuitry, the first plurality of sensors, and the second plurality of sensors are housed in the tibial prosthetic component.

18. The tibial prosthetic component of claim 17 where the tibial prosthetic component is configured to measure a position of applied force, pressure, or load coupled to the first support surface or the second support surface and where the first and second support surfaces are compliant.

19. The tibial prosthetic component of claim 18 where the first or second structures comprise a conductive material and where the conductive material is coupled to ground to shield the first and second plurality of sensors from parasitic coupling.

20. The tibial prosthetic component of claim 18 where the first and second plurality of sensors include a shield to prevent parasitic coupling.