5166results about "Computer-aided planning/modelling" patented technology

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical instrument for operating on tissue is provided. The surgical instrument includes an end effector including a first tissue engaging member and a second tissue engaging member in juxtaposed relation to the first tissue engaging member; a gap determination element operatively associated with each of the first tissue engaging member and the second tissue engaging member for measuring a gap distance between the first tissue engaging member and the second tissue engaging member; and a tissue contact determining element operatively associated with a respective tissue contacting surface of at least one of the first tissue engaging member and the second tissue engaging member. The present disclosure also relates to methods of using the surgical instrument.

Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist, wrist articulation by linked tension members, mechanisms for transmitting torque through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member is pivotally coupled with a distal end of an instrument shaft so as to rotate about a first axis transverse to the shaft, and an end effector body is pivotally coupled with the intermediate member so as to rotate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked tension members interact with attachment features to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism includes a coupling member, coupling pins, a drive shaft, and a driven shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven shaft.

A medical probe and medical system are provided. The medical probe comprises an elongated shaft, a plurality of electromagnetic elements spaced along the elongated shaft, and a plurality of wires extending through the elongated shaft and configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements that actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft. The medical system may comprise the medical probe and a controller configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements via the wires to actuate the controlled bending of the elongated shaft. The medical system may optionally comprise a user interface configured for conveying commands to the controller, in which case, the controller will be configured for energizing the electromagnetic elements via the wires to actuate a controlled bending of the elongated shaft in response to the commands.

A number of improvements are provided relating to computer aided surgery. The improvement relates to both the methods used during computer aided surgery and the devices used during such procedures. Some of the improvement relate to controlling the selection of which data to display during a procedure and / or how the data is displayed to aid the surgeon. Other improvements relate to the structure of the tools used during a procedure and how the tools can be controlled automatically to improve the efficiency of the procedure. Still other improvements relate to methods of providing feedback during a procedure to improve either the efficiency or quality, or both, for a procedure.

A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient comprises conveying control signals from a remote controller to a drive unit, intravenously introducing the catheter into a heart of the patient (e.g., via the vena cava into the right atrium), and creating a puncture within a wall between two chambers (e.g., the left and right atria) of the heart. The method further comprises creating a puncture within a wall between two chambers of the heart, and operating the drive unit in accordance with the control signals to advance a working catheter within the guide catheter through the puncture.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

An endoscope captures images of a surgical site for display in a viewing area of a monitor. When a tool is outside the viewing area, a GUI indicates the position of the tool by positioning a symbol in a boundary area around the viewing area so as to indicate the tool position. The distance of the out-of-view tool from the viewing area may be indicated by the size, color, brightness, or blinking or oscillation frequency of the symbol. A distance number may also be displayed on the symbol. The orientation of the shaft or end effector of the tool may be indicated by an orientation indicator superimposed over the symbol, or by the orientation of the symbol itself. When the tool is inside the viewing area, but occluded by an object, the GUI superimposes a ghost tool at its current position and orientation over the occluding object.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

A number of improvements are provided relating to computer aided surgery utilizing an on tool tracking system. The various improvements relate generally to both the methods used during computer aided surgery and the devices used during such procedures. Other improvements relate to the structure of the tools used during a procedure and how the tools can be controlled using the OTT device. Still other improvements relate to methods of providing feedback during a procedure to improve either the efficiency or quality, or both, for a procedure including the rate of and type of data processed depending upon a CAS mode.

A method and system for performing a total joint arthroplasty procedure on a patient's damaged bone region. A CT image or other suitable image is formed of the damaged bone surfaces, and location coordinate values (xn,yn,zn) are determined for a selected sequence of bone surface locations using the CT image data. A mathematical model z=f(x,y) of a surface that accurately matches the bone surface coordinates at the selected bone spice locations, or matches surface normal vector components at selected bone surface locations, is determined. The model provides a production file from which a cutting jig and an implant device (optional), each patient-specific and having controllable alignment, are fabricated for the damaged bone by automated processing. At this point, the patient is cut open (once), the cutting jig and a cutting instrument are used to remove a selected portion of the bone and to provide an exposed planar surface, the implant device is optionally secured to and aligned with the remainder of the bone, and the patient's incision is promptly repaired.

Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model.

A cement delivery system for vertebroplasty including a rigid cannula having a tubular inner wall defining a central conduit to deliver bone cement and a tubular outer wall extending around the inner wall and spaced apart therefrom to define a peripheral conduit for aspirating bone fluids. Aspirating means communicate with a proximal outlet port of the peripheral conduit to create a pressure gradient between the central conduit and the peripheral conduit to provide a hydraulic force guiding the displacement of bone fluid and the flow of cement. Also, a bone cement delivery system including a rigid cannula having a tubular inner wall defining a central conduit, a tubular outer wall extending around the inner wall and spaced apart therefrom to define a peripheral conduit, and a tubular middle wall extending between the inner and peripheral walls and spaced apart therefrom to define a middle conduit around the central conduit.

Disclosed herein is a method of generating a computerized bone model representative of at least a portion of a patient bone in a pre-degenerated state. The method includes: generating at least one image of the patient bone in a degenerated state; identifying a reference portion associated with a generally non-degenerated portion of the patient bone; identifying a degenerated portion associated with a generally degenerated portion of the patient bone; and using information from at least one image associated with the reference portion to modify at least one aspect associated with at least one image associated the generally degenerated portion. The method may further include employing the computerized bone model representative of the at least a portion of the patient bone in the pre-degenerated state in defining manufacturing instructions for the manufacture of a customized arthroplasty jig. Also disclosed herein is a customized arthroplasty jig manufactured according to the above-described method. The customized arthroplasty jig is configured to facilitate a prosthetic implant restoring a patient joint to a natural alignment. The prosthetic implant may be for a total joint replacement or partial joint replacement. The patient joint may be a variety of joints, including, but not limited to, a knee joint.

A patellar 3-D guidance tool includes a template. The template includes at least one contact surface for engaging a surface of the patella. The at least one contact surface substantially conforms with the surface associated with the patellar. At least one guide aperture directs movement of a surgical instrument, wherein the shape and / or position of the guide aperture is based, at least in part, on three or more anatomic reference points associated with the patellar.

A control system for a medical remote catheter guidance system includes an ECU, a computer-readable memory coupled to the ECU, and user interface (UI) logic stored in the memory configured to be executed by the ECU. The user interface logic receives input from a touch screen display with respect to a view of an anatomical model, associates a user type with the input, and interprets the input according to the associated user type and input. The user interface logic may be further configured to receive simultaneous inputs from at least two different users and to associate different user types with each of said simultaneous inputs. The user interface logic may associate each input with a user type according to a location of the input on the touch screen display.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.