External Fixator Planning Software for Osteotomy Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current software tools for orthopedic deformity analysis and external fixator planning are laborious and require specialized knowledge, making it difficult for surgeons to accurately plan and execute osteotomies and adjust hardware for optimal bone alignment.
Innovation Solution
A comprehensive fixator software solution that includes graphical methods for preoperative and postoperative deformity analysis, allowing users to identify osteotomy locations, track adjustments in real-time, and generate treatment plans for external fixators using osteotomy logic circuitry and deformity analysis logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current software tools are used for deformity analysis and external fixator planning, then specialized knowledge is required, but analysis speed and usability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies bone segments, calculates deformity parameters, and generates treatment plans without requiring manual measurement by surgeons. The software performs self-service by autonomously analyzing medical images and computing six deformity parameters, eliminating the need for specialized manual analysis while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with automated computational algorithms. Instead of surgeons physically measuring bone segments from images, the system uses image processing algorithms and computer vision to automatically detect bone boundaries, calculate coordinates, and determine deformity parameters, significantly improving analysis speed.
2Measurement precision
If current software tools are used for deformity analysis and external fixator planning, then specialized knowledge is required, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automated bone segment identification and deformity parameter calculation without requiring surgeons to manually measure or calculate. The software autonomously processes medical images, identifies anatomical structures, and generates treatment plans, making the tool accessible to users with minimal specialized knowledge while maintaining high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary software system that acts as a bridge between raw medical images and clinical decision-making. The software automatically extracts relevant anatomical information and transforms it into standardized deformity parameters, eliminating the need for surgeons to directly perform complex measurements and calculations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If osteotomy is placed away from the ideal position, then anatomical constraints are satisfied, but residual deformities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the ideal osteotomy location and orientation before surgery based on the six deformity parameters. By pre-calculating the optimal cut position and angle, the system enables surgeons to plan the precise osteotomy needed to correct deformities, even when anatomical constraints require deviation from the theoretical ideal position.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using the calculated deformity parameters to guide osteotomy planning and subsequent external fixator adjustment. The system provides quantitative feedback on how osteotomy location and orientation will affect correction outcomes, allowing surgeons to optimize the balance between anatomical constraints and correction accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If manual deformity analysis is performed, then specialized knowledge is required, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual measurement processes with automated image processing and computational algorithms. The system automatically detects bone segments in medical images, calculates six deformity parameters (anteroposterior translation, angulation, sagittal translation, angulation, axial translation, and axial angulation), and generates treatment plans, reducing analysis time from hours to minutes while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The software performs self-service by autonomously analyzing medical images without requiring manual intervention for measurement. The system automatically identifies anatomical landmarks, segments bone structures, computes deformity parameters, and presents treatment options, eliminating the time-consuming manual analysis process while preserving measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Logic may provide a deformity analysis to create a treatment plan for external fixators. Logic may further perform additional refinements to the treatment plan to improve the patient experience. Logic may further include pre-operative osteotomy to select an osteotomy and to provide real-time updates to a post-operative image based on changes to an osteotomy line, orientation, and/or rotation point. Logic may facilitate movement of one or two portions of a medical image to determine an alignment of bone segments in the portions of the medical image. Logic may generate deformity parameters based on a combination of translations and/or rotations of the movement to align the portions. Logic may create a treatment plan including a prescription for an external fixator based on deformity parameters.