Methods for balancing a joint during a surgical procedure

• US 9,597,158 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scripps Health
• Original Assignee: Clifford W. Colwell, Jr.
• Inventors: Colwell, Clifford W. Jr., D'Lima, Darryl David
• Primary Examiner(s): DUKERT, BRIAN AINSLEY
• Application Number:
  US15/056,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20160249998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1664 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1675 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1682 for the foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1684 for the shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1686 for the hand or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/252 indicating steps of a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/254 being adapted depending on the stage of the surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/067 for measuring angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4585 Evaluating the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 : for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/461 : of knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 : Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4668 : for measuring angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4688 : having operating or control means

Abstract

There is disclosed a method of balancing a joint during a surgical procedure, to both maximize the range of motion of the joint and to reduce the likelihood of follow-up procedures. The method includes outputting a signal including a first data set associated with at least one of a force, a position, a displacement or a rotation associated with an apparatus disposed between a first bony structure and a second bony structure, the apparatus including a first portion configured to be coupled to the first bony structure, a second portion configured to be disposed between the first portion and the second bony structure, and a transducer and an actuator disposed between the first portion and the second portion. The method additionally includes outputting a signal including a second data set, the second data set associated with at least one of a force, a position, a displacement or a rotation associated with the apparatus after the performance of at least a part of a surgical procedure, the surgical procedure based at least in part on a recommendation based on the first data set.

Claims

1. A method of balancing a joint comprising:

outputting a signal including a first data set associated with at least one of a force, a position, a displacement or a rotation detected by the joint balancing apparatus, the joint balancing apparatus disposed between a first bony structure and a second bony structure, the joint balancing apparatus including a first portion configured to be coupled to the first bony structure, a second portion configured to be disposed between the first portion and the second bony structure, and a transducer and an actuator disposed between the first portion and the second portion;

outputting, from the joint balancing apparatus for receipt by the one or more processing devices, a signal including a second data set, the second data set associated with at least one of a force, a position, a displacement or a rotation associated with the joint balancing apparatus after the performance of at least a part of a surgical procedure, the surgical procedure based at least in part on a recommendation determined at least in part from the first data set; and

moving in response to a signal received from the one or more processing devices by the joint balancing apparatus, a movable portion of the actuator, the movable portion of the actuator causing one of the first and second portion of the apparatus to move with respect to the other of the first and second portion of the apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting the signal includes outputting a plurality of signals while the first bony structure is moved through a full range of motion with respect to the second bony structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the surgical procedure is associated with one of modifying a connective tissue or an angle of a bone cut.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal including the first data set is not output until a pressure measurement exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, the transducer being one transducer from a plurality of transducers, the first portion of the apparatus being substantially parallel to the second portion of the apparatus, the method further comprising:

measuring a force associated with each transducer from the plurality of transducers;

comparing the force associated with at least one transducer from the plurality of transducers to the force associated with at least one other transducer from the plurality of transducers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bony structure and the second bony structure include one of (1) a portion of a tibia and a portion of a femur, (2) a portion of a humerus and a portion of a scapula, (3) a portion of a femur and a portion of a pelvis, (4) a portion of a vertebra and a portion of an adjacent vertebra, (5) a portion of a humerus and a portion of an ulna, and (6) a portion of a tibia and a portion of a talus.