Bone cutting method for alignment relative to a mechanical axis

Abstract

A method is disclosed herein for aligning a bone cutting jig for a bone cut relative to a mechanical axis. The method utilizes a three-axis accelerometer in a device to measure position, rotation, and tilt. The device is coupled to a bone-cutting jig. The bone-cutting jig is coupled to a bone. A joint of the bone is placed in a predetermined flexion. The joint end of the bone is rotated between a first point and a second point. As the joint rotates it pivots off a pivot point related to the mechanical axis. The joint rotation is monitored on a remote system. The device transmits data related to an arc made by the joint as it is rotated. The alignment of the bone relative to the mechanical axis is calculated from the three-axis accelerometer data. The bone-cutting jig is positioned to cut the bone based on the alignment measurement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61 / 803,078 filed 18 Mar. 2013. The disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates in general to medical and surgical procedures and more particularly to aligning medical devices to precise locations on or within a patient's body.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Orthopedic alignment currently involves cycles of trial and error. For example, leg alignment requires a technique that approximates alignment in which the surgeon makes one of the distal femoral cut and the proximal tibial cut based on experience, mechanical jigs, and visual alignment. Typically, the proximal tibial cut is made so as to remove the least amount of the proximal tibia, while ensuring sufficient removal of diseased or otherwise undesirable bone. The remaining femoral cuts are made to complete shaping of the femur to ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a problem in orthopedic surgery where the alignment of medical devices on a patient's body can be subjective and the outcomes of the surgery can be unpredictable. The invention aims to provide a simple and efficient method to accurately align the implant orientation to reduce medical costs and time of the surgical procedure while maintaining accuracy. The patent text describes various methods and devices for aligning the implant and sensing the orientation of the patient's body during surgery. The technical effects of the invention include improved accuracy in aligning the implant, reduced trial and error, and reduced time and cost of the surgery.

Problems solved by technology

Orthopedic alignment currently involves cycles of trial and error.

Even with mechanical jigs, trialing, and advanced prosthetic components, outcomes including functional efficacy, patient comfort, and longevity of the prosthesis may not always be highly predictable, especially if procedures are performed by physicians and surgeons with different levels of skill, experience, and frequency of repeating an individual procedure.

Accurately determining and aligning an implant orientation is a difficult process requiring expensive equipment.

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