Orthopedic navigation system with sensorized devices

• US 9,011,448 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OrthoSensor, Inc (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Roche, Martin, Boillot, Marc, McIntosh, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramana, Anu
• Application Number:
  US12/901,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20110160583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/437, 600440-446, 600/448, 606/86.R, 606/87, 606/130
• US Class Current: 606/86.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2063 Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• 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 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/58 Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device

Abstract

A low-cost and compact electronic device toolset is provided for orthopedic assisted navigation. The toolset comprises wireless sensorized devices that communicate directly with one another. A computer workstation is an optional component for further visualization. The sensorized devices are constructed with low-cost transducers and are self-powered. The toolset is disposable and incurs less hospital maintenance and overhead. As one example, the toolset reports anatomical alignment during a surgical workflow procedure. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A surgical orthopedic alignment system comprising:

a receiver, where the receiver includes a first transducer that is configured to receive or emit an ultrasonic signal, and where the receiver is configured to contact a portion of a muscular skeletal system;

a wand, where the wand includes a second transducer that is configured to emit or receive the ultrasonic signal, where the wand is configured to be moveable to a point on at least one of the muscular skeletal system or a device; and

a processor, where the processor is configured to use the time of flight of the ultrasonic signal between the wand and the receiver to determine positional location of the wand with respect to the receiver, where the positional location of the wand with respect to the receiver is used to determine alignment of the portion of the muscular skeletal system with respect to the point, where the determination of alignment occurs within a sterile field of an operating room, where the receiver further includes a controller operatively communicatively coupled to the first transducer, and where the receiver further includes an accelerometer.

2. The orthopedic alignment system of claim 1 further including an attachment mechanism, where the attachment mechanism attaches the receiver to the portion of the muscular-skeletal system.

3. The orthopedic alignment system of claim 1 where the wand comprises:

a plurality of ultrasonic transducers; and

a tip, where the tip is configured to be placed in contact with the point of interest.

4. The orthopedic alignment system of claim 3 where the wand is held by hand and is configured to be moved from one point of interest to another point of interest registering each point of interest.

5. The orthopedic alignment system of claim 3 where the wand is coupled to a fixture in a predetermined stationary position within the sterile field after points of interests have been registered.

6. The orthopedic alignment system of claim 1 where the wand and receiver are disposable.

7. The orthopedic alignment system of claim 1 where a graphical user interface resides on at least one of the wand and the receiver.

8. The alignment system of claim 7, where the system is configured to register multiple points of interest when the muscular skeletal system is moved.

9. The alignment system of claim 8, where the processor is configured to use data saved during the registration of the multiple points of interest to compute the alignment of the orthopedic system with respect to a mechanical axis of the orthopedic system.

10. The alignment system of claim 9, where the orthopedic system is a knee joint.

11. The alignment system of claim 9, where the orthopedic system is a hip joint.

12. The alignment system of claim 9, where the orthopedic system is a spinal column.