SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT

• US 20100063508A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orthalign, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orthalign, Inc.
• Inventors: Borja, Santiago P., van der Walt, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,998,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/154 for preparing bone for knee prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/155 Cutting femur
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/157 Cutting tibia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1707 using electromagnetic effects, e.g. with magnet and external sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1764 for the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/7017 pneumatic or hydraulic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/067 for measuring angles
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, to distract a joint, or to otherwise assist in an orthopedic procedure or procedures.

Claims

1. A surgical orientation device, for use in a total knee arthroplasty procedure, the surgical orientation device having an associated three-dimensional coordinate reference system, the device comprising:

a portable housing configured to connect to a knee bone by way of one or more orthopedic fixtures;

a sensor located within the housing, the sensor configured to monitor the orientation of the housing in the three-dimensional coordinate reference system, the sensor further configured to generate orientation data corresponding to the monitored orientation of the surgical orientation device, wherein the sensor comprises a multi-axis accelerometer;

a display module configured to display one or more angle measurements corresponding to an offset from a flexion-extension angle or a varus-valgus angle of a mechanical axis of the knee joint;

wherein the sensor is oriented relative to the housing at an acute angle to maximize the sensitivity of the sensor when coupled to a tibia or a femur.

2. The surgical orientation device of claim 1, further comprising a control module configured to convert a signal from the sensor into an angle output to be displayed by the display module.

3. The surgical orientation device of claim 2, wherein the angle output is relative to a reference plane or angle stored in the surgical orientation device.

4. The surgical orientation device of claim 1, wherein the multi-axis accelerometer comprises a dual axis accelerometer.

5. The surgical orientation device of claim 1, further comprising a visual alignment system configured to direct an optical probe from a proximal or distal portion of the surgical orientation device to illuminate one or more anatomical landmarks.

6. The surgical orientation device of claim 5, wherein the visual alignment system comprises a laser.

7. The surgical orientation device of claim 1, further comprising a first laser mounted in the housing to direct light proximally from the housing and a second laser mounted in the housing to direct light distally from the housing.

8. The surgical orientation device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is adapted to provide position and orientation information relative to the reference system.

9. The surgical orientation device of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises gyroscopic sensors to detect angular position changes and accelerometers to detect linear position changes.

10. An orthopedic orientation system, for use in a joint procedure, comprising:

an orthopedic fixture adapted to be coupled with a knee bone and to be adjustable in multiple degrees of freedom;

a surgical orientation device having an associated three-dimensional coordinate reference system, the device comprising

a portable housing configured to connect to a knee bone by way of the orthopedic fixtures;

a sensor located within the housing, the sensor configured to monitor the orientation of the housing in the three-dimensional coordinate reference system, the sensor further configured to generate orientation data corresponding to the monitored orientation of the surgical orientation device;

an output device configured to inform a user of the orientation of the device relative to a reference plane corresponding to a mechanical axis of the joint;

wherein the sensor is configured for optimum sensitivity in the range of motion of the orthopedic fixture.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is a dual axis accelerometer and is oriented within the housing such that when the surgical orientation device is coupled to a knee in flexion with a longitudinal plane of the housing parallel to a coronal plane of the tibia, the sensor is at an acute angle relative to the direction of gravity.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is a dual axis accelerometer and is oriented within the housing such that when the surgical orientation device is coupled to a knee in extension with a longitudinal plane of the housing parallel to a coronal plane of the knee, the sensor is at an acute angle relative to the direction of gravity.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a dual axis accelerometer and is oriented within the housing such that when the surgical orientation device is coupled to a knee in flexion with a longitudinal plane of the housing parallel to a coronal plane of the knee, the sensor is at an acute angle relative to the direction of gravity.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is a three axis accelerometer and further comprises a control module configured to convert a first plurality of sensor outputs into an angle output to be displayed by the display module when the surgical orientation device is in a first range of positions relative to gravity and further is configured to convert a second plurality of sensor outputs into an angle output to be displayed by the display module when the surgical orientation device is in a second range of positions relative to gravity.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is adapted to provide position and orientation information relative to the reference system.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises gyroscopic sensors to detect angular position changes and accelerometers to detect linear position changes.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is configured to sense magnetic fields and the surgical orientation device is configured to determine a change in orientation based upon such magnetic fields.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetometer.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the surgical orientation device further comprises a first laser mounted in the housing to direct light proximally from the housing and a second laser mounted in the housing to direct light distally from the housing, the orthopedic fixture configured to cause the light to sweep through an angle to illuminate anatomical landmarks in use.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the surgical orientation device comprises a laser and, the system further comprising a device for directing an output of the laser toward a bone surface.