Methods for detecting osteolytic conditions in the body

• US 20070179568A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warsaw Orthopedic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: SDGI Holdings Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Drapeau, Susan, Nycz, Jeffrey, Donofrio, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/68 Internal fixation devices , including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin bone staples A61B17/0642
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/86 Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor A61B17/72 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• 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 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2803 for mandibular reconstruction temporo-mandibular joints A61F2/3099; bone plates for the jaw A61B17/8071
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/34 Acetabular cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/36 Femoral heads ; Femoral endoprostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/38 for elbows or knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3804 for elbows
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/40 for shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4202 for ankles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4261 for wrists
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/44 for the spine, e.g. vertebrae, spinal discs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4609 of acetabular cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/48 Operating or control means, e.g. from outside the body, control of sphincters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/488 : Means for detecting or monitoring wear
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 : made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30449 : the adhesive being cement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 : for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3079 : Stepped or enlarged apertures, e.g. having discrete diameter changes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3403 : Polar aperture
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3412 : with pins or protrusions, e.g. non-sharp pins or protrusions projecting from a shell surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3414 : Polar protrusion, e.g. for centering two concentric shells
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3429 : with an integral peripheral collar or flange, e.g. oriented away from the shell centre line
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3611 : Heads or epiphyseal parts of femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3625 : Necks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 : using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 : for data transfer

Abstract

Methods and systems for detecting a biological response indicative of osteolysis or osteolytic pre-conditions in bone.

Claims

1. A detection system for detecting a condition of a bone comprising:

a sensor capable of operating in vivo to detect a condition of a bone and generate a signal representative of the detected condition;

a transmitter operable to receive the signal from the sensor and transmit the signal; and

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the transmitter and to enable a human intelligible display representative of the signal.

2. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the condition detected is present in the bone.

3. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the condition detected is adjacent to the bone.

4. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is operable to detect at least one of temperature, pH, inflammatory cytokines, MMPs, calcium ions and phosphate ions.

5. The detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

a signal processor operable to receive signals from the sensor and to generate a baseline representative of the detected condition, and to sends a signal to the transmitter when a signal received from the sensor deviates from the baseline.

6. The detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one control sensor located in vivo at an area remote from the sensor, and operable to detect a condition in a bone at the remote area and to generate a signal representative of the detected condition; and

a signal processor operable to receive and compare signals generated by the sensor and signals generated by the at least one control sensor, and operable to send a signal to the transmitter when a signal received from the sensor deviates from a signal received from the at least one control sensor.

7. The detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

a wireless telemetry circuit configured for transmitting the signal from the transmitter to the receiver.

8. The detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

a power source electrically connected to at least one of the sensor, the transmitter and the receiver.

9. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises:

a signal processor operable to convert the signal to a displayable format and to transmit the converted signal; and

an indicator operable to receive the converted signal and provide a human intelligible display representative of the converted signal.

10. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises:

analysis circuitry operable to compare a signal received from the transmitter to a control, and to generate a signal when the signal received from the transmitter exceeds the control; and

an indicator operable to receive the signal generated by the analysis circuitry and to provide a human intelligible display representative of the signal.

11. The detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

an indicator operable to provide a human intelligible display representative of the signal received by the receiver.

12. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the sensor and the transmitter are combined into a unitary structure.

13. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is at least one of engaged with the bone, and adjacent the bone.

14. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises:

a leading end adapted for disposal in a bone; and

a flange portion adapted for engagement with an implant.

15. The detection system of claim 14, wherein the implant is for use in at least one of an ankle, a knee, a hip, a spine, a shoulder, an elbow, a wrist, and a jaw.

16. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises an external surface configured for bone engagement.

17. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is disposed on an external surface of an implant.

18. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is in vivo.

19. The detection system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is ex vivo.

20. A detection system for detecting a condition of a bone comprising:

a sensor located in vivo and operable to detect a condition in a bone and generate a signal representative of the detected condition;

a first signal processor operable to receive a signal from the sensor and to transmit the signal;

a transmitter operable to receive the signal from the first signal processor and to transmit the signal;

a receiver operable to receive the signal from the transmitter and to transmit the signal;

a second signal processor operable to receive the signal from the receiver and to transmit the signal; and

an indicator operable to receive the signal from the second signal processor and provide a human intelligible display representative of the signal.

21. The detection system of claim 20 wherein the sensor is operable to detect at least one of temperature, pH, inflammatory cytokines, MMPS, calcium ions and phosphate ions.

22. The detection system of claim 20 wherein the first signal processor uses the signals received from the sensor to generate a baseline representative of the detected condition, and sends a signal to the transmitter when a signal received from the sensor deviates from the baseline.

23. The detection system of claim 20 further comprising:

at least one control sensor located in vivo at an area remote from the sensor, and operable to detect a condition in a bone at the remote area and to generate a signal representative of the detected condition;

wherein

the first signal processor is operable to receive and compare signals generated by the sensor and signals generated by the at least one control sensor, and to send a signal to the transmitter when a signal received from the sensor deviates from a signal received from the at least one control sensor.

24. The detection system of claim 20 further comprising:

analysis circuitry operable to compare a signal received from the transmitter to a control, and to send a signal to the indicator when the signal received from the transmitter exceeds the control.

25. The detection system of claim 20 wherein the sensor, the first signal processor and the transmitter are combined into a unitary structure.

26. The detection system of claim 20 wherein the receiver, the second signal processor and the indicator are combined into a unitary structure.

27. The detection system of claim 20 wherein the receiver is in vivo.

28. The detection system of claim 20 wherein the receiver is ex vivo.

29. A method of detecting a condition of a bone comprising:

disposing a sensor in relationship with the bone suitable for detecting at least one condition of the bone selected from temperature, pH, a presence of inflammatory cytokines, a presence of MMPs, a presence of calcium ions and a presence of phosphate ions;

obtaining data from the sensor representative of the selected condition; and

displaying the data in a human intelligible form.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the selected condition is present in the bone.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the condition detected is adjacent to the bone.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

obtaining a baseline representative of the selected condition;

obtaining continuing data from the sensor representative of the selected condition; and

comparing the continuing data to the baseline.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

disposing at least one control sensor in relationship with the bone at an area remote from the sensor;

obtaining data from the at least one control sensor representative of the selected condition at the remote area; and

comparing the data obtained from the sensor and the data obtained from the at least one control sensor.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

comparing the data obtained from the sensor on a selected condition with a control for the selected condition.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the sensor is disposed with the bone by engagement of a first end of the sensor in the bone.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the sensor comprises a second end, which is engaged with an implant.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein the sensor is disposed on an external surface of an implant, and the external surface of the implant is disposed directly adjacent to the bone.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the displaying of the data occurs in vivo.

39. The method of claim 29 wherein the displaying of the data occurs ex vivo.