Computer-Assisted Bone Loss Compensation in Knee Arthroplasty
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthopaedic surgical procedures face challenges in accurately determining the positioning of prosthetic joints in patients with significant bone loss due to disease or trauma, complicating the compensation for bone loss during knee arthroplasty.
Innovation Solution
A computer-assisted system determines the estimated amount of bone loss using a three-dimensional model, adjusts anatomical distances based on bone loss, and updates cutting planes to compensate for bone loss by increasing ligament lengths, utilizing surface curve fitting algorithms and statistical shape models to approximate healthy bone anatomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional manual instruments and pre-operative planning are used, then the surgical procedure can be performed with simpler equipment, but the accuracy of prosthesis positioning deteriorates when significant bone loss is present
Solution Approach 1:
A computer-assisted surgical navigation system serves as an intermediary between the surgeon and the surgical tools. The system includes a navigation device with tracking markers on the bone, a computer system that processes spatial data, and display equipment that presents adjusted anatomical models. This intermediary system compensates for bone loss by calculating and displaying adjusted anatomical distances and ligament lengths, enabling accurate prosthesis positioning despite significant bone loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement and estimation methods with an electronic computer-assisted navigation system. Instead of relying on manual instruments and visual estimation during surgery, the system uses electronic tracking, computational algorithms, and digital modeling to precisely determine and adjust anatomical distances, thereby improving positioning accuracy without requiring complex manual manipulation.
2Reliability
If bone loss compensation is performed manually during surgery, then real-time adjustment is possible, but measurement precision and reliability deteriorate due to difficulty in accurately determining bone loss amounts
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-operatively or intra-operatively determining the amount of bone loss using computer-assisted navigation. The navigation device tracks anatomical landmarks and calculates the actual anatomical distances, which are then used to compute adjusted distances that compensate for bone loss. This preliminary calculation of bone loss amounts improves reliability by eliminating the difficulty of manual measurement during the critical surgical phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The computer-assisted navigation system provides continuous feedback during the surgical procedure. The system displays adjusted anatomical models and measured distances in real-time, allowing the surgeon to verify the bone loss compensation calculations. This feedback mechanism improves reliability by enabling verification and adjustment of measurement accuracy during surgery, overcoming the difficulty of detecting and measuring bone loss.
3Measurement precision
If adjusted anatomical distances are determined using computer-assisted navigation, then prosthesis positioning accuracy is improved, but the surgical procedure becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The computer-assisted navigation system enables continuous measurement and adjustment of anatomical distances throughout the surgical procedure. The navigation device continuously tracks bone positions and the computer system continuously calculates adjusted distances, eliminating the need for repeated manual measurements. This continuity of useful action improves measurement precision while minimizing time loss by performing all necessary calculations in an integrated, uninterrupted manner.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system, and method for compensating for bone loss of a patient's knee joint during the performance of an orthopaedic surgical procedure includes determining an estimated amount of bone loss of a bone of a patient's knee joint, determining an anatomical distance between a femoral anatomical feature of a patient's femur and a tibial anatomical feature of a patient's tibia, and adjusting the determined anatomical distance based on the estimated amount of bone loss. The determined anatomical distance is indicative of a ligament length of a collateral ligament of the patient's knee joint. The bone loss may be estimated based on, for example, a surface curve fitting algorithm applied to a three-dimensional model of the bone, a defined bone loss amount provided by a user, or a comparison of the three-dimensional model of the bone to a statistical shape model that approximates the bone in a healthy state.