Surgical rod measuring system and method

• US 9,414,859 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ballard, Rodney, Mire, David, Rezach, William Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kevin T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamikawa, Tracy
• Application Number:
  US13/866,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7002 Longitudinal elements, e.g. rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7013 the shape of the element being adjustable before use adjustable length plates A61B17/7014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7074 Tools specially adapted for spinal fixation operations other than for bone removal or filler handling A61B17/7062, A61B17/808, A61B17/8858 take precedence; for spinal image producing devices A61B90/36, A61B34/20; markers A61B90/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7083 Tools for guidance or insertion of tethers, rod-to-anchor connectors, rod-to-rod connectors, or longitudinal elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8863 Apparatus for shaping or cutting osteosynthesis equipment by medical personnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/568 produced with shape and dimensions specific for an individual patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/104 Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06

Abstract

A system and method for measuring a surgical rod are disclosed. The system includes a processor, a probe in communication with the processor and configured to trace along a surface of the implant, a tracking system in communication with the processor and the probe for generating first data representing at least one of linear and rotational movement of the probe during a first trace along the surface of the implant, wherein the processor is configured to receive the first data and generate a first graphical representation of the implant based on the first data, and a display in communication with said processor for displaying the graphical representation of the implant based on the first data. Various methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for measuring an implant, comprising:

a processor;

a probe in communication with the processor and configured to trace along a surface of the implant;

a tracking system in communication with the processor and the probe for generating first data representing at least one of linear and rotational movement of the probe during a first trace along the surface of the implant;

wherein the processor is configured to receive the first data and generate a first graphical representation of the implant based on the first data; and

a display in communication with said processor for displaying the first graphical representation of the implant based on the first data,

wherein the processor is configured to calculate an angular offset between at least two portions of the implant based on the first data and display the angular offset.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate based on the first data a measurement between the at least two portions of the implant and display the measurement, wherein the measurement is at least one of a linear length, a radius and a curve.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive second data from a second tracing of the implant by the probe, generate a second graphical representation of the implant based on the second data, and display on the display the second graphical representation of the implant based on the second data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracing is non-contiguous.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the implant is a surgical rod that is bent according to a surgical plan dependent on a patient'"'"'s anatomy.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first data is three dimensional data and the first graphical representation is a three dimensional representation of the implant.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said tracking system is an optical tracking system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking system comprises an active tracking system that includes a gyroscope for determining rotational movement of the probe.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking system comprises an active tracking system that includes an accelerometer for determining linear movement of the probe.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the probe comprises a pair of spaced apart arms that define an implant cavity therebetween, the probe comprising a tracking element that is in communication with the implant cavity; and

the implant is positioned within the implant cavity as the probe traces along the surface of the implant.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the implant is positioned within an implant cavity of the probe as the probe traces along the surface of the implant, the implant cavity comprising a tracking element configured to communicate positional and rotational data about the implant to the processor.

12. A method for measuring an implant, comprising:

moving a probe along a surface of the implant prior to positioning the implant within a patient, the implant being positioned within an implant cavity of the probe as the probe moves along the surface of the implant, the implant cavity comprising a tracking element configured to communicate positional and rotational data about the implant;

tracking by a tracking system movement of the probe to obtain first data representing the implant;

storing the first data in a memory;

displaying on a display a first image representing the implant based on the first data;

calculating by a processor based on the first data angular offsets between at least two points of the implant; and

displaying the angular offsets.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

modifying at least one geometry of the implant;

moving the probe along the surface of the implant;

tracking movement of the probe to obtain second data representing the implant;

storing the second data in the memory;

displaying a second image representing the implant based on the second data;

recalculating angular offsets based on the second data; and

displaying the recalculated angular offsets.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

modifying at least one geometry of the implant;

moving the probe along a surface of the implant;

tracking movement of the probe to obtain second data representing the implant;

storing the second data in the memory; and

displaying a second image representing the implant based on the second data.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

positioning the implant in the patient;

connecting the implant to anchors positioned in the patient;

moving the probe along the surface of the implant;

tracking movement of the probe to obtain second data of the implant within the patient;

storing the second data in the memory; and

displaying a second image representing the implant based on the second data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

comparing the first and second images;

modifying at least one geometry of the implant;

moving the probe along the surface of the implant;

tracking movement of the probe to obtain third data representing the implant;

storing the third data in the memory; and

displaying a third image representing the implant based on the third data.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

tracking a position of the implant;

tracking a fastener relative to the implant position;

displaying the fastener on the display relative to the implant; and

guiding the implant toward the fastener using the display to show the relative position of the fastener to the implant.

18. A method for measuring a surgical rod, comprising:

inserting at least one bone fixation element into a patient;

bending the rod prior to positioning the rod within the patient;

capturing first data using a probe to represent a shape of the rod after the bending step;

storing the first data in a memory;

displaying a first image representing the rod based on the first data;

positioning the rod in the patient;

connecting the rod to the at least one bone fixation element;

capturing second data using the probe to represent the shape of the rod after the positioning step;

storing the second data in the memory; and

displaying a second image representing the rod based on the second data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the first and second images;

modifying at least one geometry of the rod;

moving the probe along a surface of the rod;

tracking movement of the probe to obtain third data representing the rod;

storing the third data in the memory; and

displaying a third image representing the implant based on the third data.