Patient positioning systems and methods

• US 9,554,731 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malchau, Henrik, Braithwaite, Gavin, Muratoglu, Orhun K, Rubash, Harry E., Miller, Bayen Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Towa, Rene
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABOUELELA, MAY A
• Application Number:
  US13/369,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/587, 600/595, 606/88, 606/102, 606/130
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/05 Surgical care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4571 Evaluating the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/683 Means for maintaining contact with the body A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6878 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/70 Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods provide patient position information to a user. A patient positioning device is placed on a patient in a predefined location. The patient positioning device determines a relative patient position with respect to at least one known reference axis. The patient positioning device communicates patient position information including or with reference to the at least one known reference axis. The communicated patient position information allows the user to position the patient and/or a surgical tool using the communicated patient position information.

Claims

1. A method for providing patient position information, the method comprising:

arranging a patient positioning device on a patient in a predefined location using a mounting element, wherein the patient positioning device is configured to determine a relative position of the patient positioning device with respect to at least one known axis of the patient;

establishing, using a processor, at least one axis of reference external to the patient positioning device and the at least one known axis;

indicating, using the processor, an orientation of the patient using at least the predefined location, the at least one known axis, and the at least one axis of reference external to the patient positioning device;

indicating, using the processor, updated orientations of the patient over time using at least the predefined location, the at least one known axis, and the at least one axis of reference external to the patient positioning device without the use of further physical references communicating to the patient positioning device its relation to the physical reference,

wherein arranging includes placing a first patient positioning device on the patient during a pre-operative preparation and identifying a horizontal reference.

2. The method according to claim 1:

further including calibrating, using the processor, the patient positioning device to map an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis to an orientation relative to gravity.

3. The method according to claim 2:

further including measuring rotational acceleration around at least one of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis using an accelerometer.

4. The method according to claim 1:

wherein arranging the patient positioning device comprises orienting the patient positioning device so the at least one known reference axis of the patient positioning device aligns with at least one known axis of the patient.

5. The method according to claim 4:

wherein orienting the patient positioning device includes orienting a brace relative to a pelvic reference, and orienting the patient positioning device relative to the brace.

6. The method according to claim 5:

wherein orienting determines a horizontal axis of the pelvic reference.

7. The method according to claim 1:

wherein indicating a position of the patient and indicating updated positions of the patient comprises wirelessly communicating patient position information to a display system configured to display the patient position information.

8. The method according to claim 1:

wherein arranging includes placing the patient positioning device on the patient while the patient is standing.

9. The method according to claim 1:

wherein arranging includes placing the patient positioning device on the patient while the patient is in a lateral position.

10. The method according to claim 1:

wherein arranging includes placing the patient positioning device on the low back of the patient.

11. The method according to claim 1:

wherein arranging includes removably securing the patient positioning device to the patient using an adhesive patch.

12. The method according to claim 1:

further including monitoring, using the processor, the updated positions of the patient over time and positioning at least one of (i) the patient and (ii) a surgical tool based on the updated positions of the patient over time.

13. The method according to claim 1:

further including tracking, using the processor, a position of the patient with respect to a first axis, a second axis transverse to the first axis, and a third axis transverse and an absolute reference including at least one of gravity and a magnetic pole and a radio direction.

14. A method for positioning at least one of (i) a patient and (ii) a surgical tool during an orthopedic procedure, the method comprising:

arranging a patient positioning device on a patient in a predefined location using a mounting element;

calibrating, using a processor, the patient positioning device to determine at least a horizontal reference of a pelvis of the patient while the patient is standing;

placing the patient in a lateral position;

relating, using the processor, the horizontal reference of the pelvis to a gravitational reference with the patient in the lateral position;

communicating, using the processor, patient position information from the patient positioning device, the patient position information including an angular displacement between the horizontal reference of the pelvis and the gravitational reference;

indicating, using the processor, an orientation of the pelvis based on the communicated patient position information; and

positioning at least one of the pelvis and the surgical tool based on the indicated patient position information.

15. The method according to claim 14:

calibrating the patient positioning device includes mapping, using the processor, an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis to an orientation relative to gravity.

16. The method according to claim 15:

further including measuring rotational acceleration around at least one of the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis using an accelerometer.

17. The method according to claim 14:

wherein communicating comprises wirelessly communicating patient position information to a display system and indicating includes displaying a visual indicator of the orientation of the pelvis.