System and method for determining patient follow-up subsequent to an orthopaedic procedure

• US 9,055,918 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Synthes Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: DiSilvestro, Mark R., Dietz, Terry L., Hastings, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pani, John
• Application Number:
  US14/223,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/587, 600/595, 702/160, 235/105, 377/24.2, 705/2, 623 1811- 2346, 606/88
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• 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 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4851 Prosthesis assessment or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/488 Means for detecting or monitoring wear
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30953 using a remote computer network, e.g. Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method of determining patient follow-up subsequent to an orthopaedic procedure includes determining the number of cycles of use of an orthopaedic joint of the patient. If a predetermined threshold is exceeded, communication with an orthopaedic care provider is initiated. A patient monitoring system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a patient'"'"'s use of an orthopaedic joint which includes first and second joint prosthesis components, comprising:

an implantable sensor which, when implanted in a patient, is operable to monitor a number of cycles of use of the orthopaedic joint,

a processor in communication with the sensor, and

a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to (i) monitor output from the sensor to determine the number of cycles of use of the orthopaedic joint, and (ii) to generate a message to the patient indicative of a need to initiate communication with an orthopaedic care provider if the number of cycles of use of the orthopaedic joint exceeds a predetermined threshold value,

wherein the implantable sensor comprises a permanent magnet embedded in the first joint prosthesis component and a Hall effect switch embedded in the second joint prosthesis component, the system further comprising electronics associated with the permanent magnet and the Hall effect switch that are adapted to determine a number of occasions in which the first and second joint prosthesis component are in a predetermined position relative to one another.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor and the memory device are embedded in one of the first and second joint prostheses.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor and the memory device are located in a data interpretation device separate from the orthopaedic joint.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the electronics includes a transmitter to transmit data indicative of the number of occasions in which the first and second joint prosthesis component are in the predetermined position relative to one another to the data interpretation device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronics are configured to determine the number of occasions in which a predetermined angle of flexion is attained by the orthopaedic joint.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined angle of flexion is indicative of a step having been taken by the patient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the message is at least one of an audible message and a visual message.

8. A system for determining patient follow-up subsequent to an orthopaedic procedure, the system comprising:

an orthopaedic prosthesis comprising;

a femoral component having a magnetic signal source embedded therein;

a tibial component having an electrical circuit embedded therein, the electrical circuit comprising a sensor to generate a data signal in response to the signal source, the electrical circuit configured to (i) determine the number of occasions in which the femoral component and the tibial component are in a predetermined position relative to one another as a function of the data signal, (ii) calculate a cycle count indicative of a cumulative number of cycles of use of the orthopaedic prosthesis, and (iii) transmit the cycle count; and

a computing device configured to receive the data signal and generate a message indicating a need to initiate communication with an orthopaedic care provider in response to the cycle count exceeding a reference threshold value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the signal source is a permanent magnet and the sensor is a Hall effect switch.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device includes a display and the message comprises a visual message displayed on the display of the computing device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device is further configured to initiate a communication with the orthopaedic care provider in response to the cycle count exceeding the reference threshold value.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing device is configured to generate an e-mail to the orthopaedic care provider.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing device is configured to initiate a telephone call to an office of the orthopaedic care provider.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing device comprises:

communication circuitry;

a display;

a processor; and

memory having stored therein a plurality of instructions that, in response to the processor, cause the processor to;

generate a visual message to the patient on the display that indicates a need to initiate communication with the orthopaedic care provider in response to the cycle count exceeding the reference threshold value, and

initiate a communication with the orthopaedic care provider in response to the cycle count exceeding the reference threshold value.