Intramedullary Tracker Mount for Bone Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical navigation systems face instability when tracker arrays are secured to weakened or diseased bones, which can impede the placement of implant stems during revision implant surgeries.
Innovation Solution
A mounting device with an intramedullary canal component that includes a tracker pin and a tracker array, designed to be inserted into the bone's intramedullary canal, providing stabilization through engagement with the canal's inner surface and allowing connection to surgical components like replacement joint implants or cutting guides, and optionally incorporating embedded instrumentation for position and orientation information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tracker arrays are secured to weakened or diseased bones using conventional methods (bicortical pins, unicortical pins, or extramedullary clamps), then the surgical navigation system can be established, but the tracker array becomes unstable and may shift during the surgical procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intramedullary component as an intermediary device that bridges the weak bone and the tracker array. This component is inserted into the intramedullary canal and provides a strong mechanical anchor point, allowing the tracker array to be securely attached without directly relying on the compromised bone strength. The intermediary component transfers the loading from the tracker array to the intramedullary canal structure, which is better suited to handle these forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from extramedullary fixation methods (surface-level attachment using clamps or pins) to an intramedullary approach (internal canal-based fixation). This dimensional change from external to internal fixation allows the tracker array to be stabilized using the structural integrity of the intramedullary canal rather than relying on the strength of the compromised cortical bone surface.
2Measurement precision
If conventional tracker array fixation methods are used on compromised bones, then the setup process is simpler, but the tracker array cannot provide accurate reference points for implant placement
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device is segmented into distinct functional components: an intramedullary component for insertion into the canal, a tracker pin for attachment to the intramedullary component, and a tracker array for providing reference points. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system accuracy. The modular design enables precise assembly and positioning without requiring complex integrated structures.
3Reliability
If tracker arrays are firmly fixed to provide stable reference points, then navigation accuracy is improved, but the mounting device becomes more complex and difficult to insert into compromised bone
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device employs a nested configuration where the tracker pin is attached to the intramedullary component, which is itself inserted into the intramedullary canal. This nested arrangement allows the components to be inserted in a sequential manner, with each component fitting within or upon the previous one. The intramedullary component serves as a placeholder and anchor for the tracker pin, simplifying the overall insertion process while ensuring stable fixation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system (100) and device (300) for mounting and tracking a tracker array during a surgical procedure are described. For example, the system includes a surgical navigation system (700) including a position tracking system (702) configured to track one or more tracker arrays, and a device (300) for mounting a tracker array (306) onto a patient during the surgical procedure. The device includes an intramedullary (IM) canal component (304) configured to be inserted into an IM canal (310) within a bone (312). The device further includes a tracker pin (308) configured to penetrate at least a portion of the bone and engage an inserted end (411, 413) of the IM canal component, and a tracker array (306) affixed to the tracker pin. The IM canal component is configured to engage the IM canal of the bone to stabilize the tracker array during the surgical procedure.