System and method for identifying a landmark
First Claim
1. A probe for guiding placement of an identifier relative to an orthopaedic implant, comprising:
- an elongated element that includes an anti-rotation feature, the anti-rotation feature comprising a non-circular cross-sectional geometry of at least a portion of the elongated element,wherein the elongated element is configured to engage a stop at any of a plurality of points along a length of the elongated element,wherein the elongated element comprises a plurality of detents,wherein at least a portion of the elongated element has a longitudinal axis that has a natural curvature, andwherein the elongated element is configured to limit rotation of the elongated element relative to the stop when the elongated element is received through a slot in the stop; and
a magnetic sensor coupled to the elongated element.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system (1010, 1110) for identifying a landmark is disclosed. The system includes a field generator (1016, 1116) for generating a magnetic field, an orthopedic implant (1030, 1130) located within the magnetic field, the implant having at least one landmark (1028, 1128), a removable probe (1029, 1129) with a first magnetic sensor (1026, 1126), a landmark identifier (1016, 1116) with a second magnetic sensor (1020, 1120) and a processor (1012, 1112) for comparing sensor data from the first and second sensor and using the set distance to calculate the position of the landmark identifier relative to the at least one landmark. The system allows for blind targeting of one or more landmarks.
249 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A probe for guiding placement of an identifier relative to an orthopaedic implant, comprising:
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an elongated element that includes an anti-rotation feature, the anti-rotation feature comprising a non-circular cross-sectional geometry of at least a portion of the elongated element, wherein the elongated element is configured to engage a stop at any of a plurality of points along a length of the elongated element, wherein the elongated element comprises a plurality of detents, wherein at least a portion of the elongated element has a longitudinal axis that has a natural curvature, and wherein the elongated element is configured to limit rotation of the elongated element relative to the stop when the elongated element is received through a slot in the stop; and a magnetic sensor coupled to the elongated element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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an orthopaedic implant having a landmark and a channel with a proximal region having a circular cross-section, the channel having a proximal end; a landmark identifier; a probe configured to be inserted into the proximal end of the channel, the probe including a magnetic field sensor and an elongated element configured to place the magnetic field sensor at a known placement relative to the landmark when the probe is inserted in the channel of the orthopaedic implant, at least a portion of the elongated element having a longitudinal axis that has a natural curvature, and the elongated element including an anti-rotation feature configured to limit rotation of the elongated element at the region having the circular cross-section, wherein the anti-rotation feature of the probe comprises a non-circular cross-sectional geometry of at least a portion of the elongated element, the anti-rotation feature being configured to limit rotation of the elongated element when the probe extends into the proximal end of the channel and into the proximal region having the circular cross-section; a stop that is adjustable along a length of the elongated element, wherein the stop defines a slot and is configured engage the non-circular cross-sectional geometry of the elongated element to limit rotation of the elongated element while the elongated element is received in the slot, the stop being configured to engage the proximal end of the orthopaedic implant; and a control unit operably connected to the landmark identifier and the magnetic field sensor, the system configured such that with the sensor of the probe located in the channel of the orthopaedic implant and positioned at a predetermined position relative to the landmark, the system can be utilized to guide the placement of the landmark identifier relative to the landmark. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method comprising:
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inserting a distal end of a probe into a channel of an orthopaedic implant, the orthopaedic implant having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the probe comprising a magnetic field sensor and having an anti-rotation feature; positioning the probe such that the magnetic field sensor is located within the channel at a known position relative to a landmark of the orthopaedic implant; removing the probe from the channel after a transformation matrix has been created based on the position of the magnetic field sensor at the known position and a position of a second magnetic field sensor at a second position relative to the orthopaedic implant; after removing the probe from the channel, installing a transfixion element through a proximal end portion of the orthopaedic implant; and after installing the transfixion element through the proximal end portion, guiding placement of a landmark identifier to a landmark in a distal end portion of the orthopaedic implant based on the transformation matrix and the position of the second magnetic field sensor at the second position relative to the orthopaedic implant. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification