Pelvic Registration Jig for Accurate Hip Implant Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hip replacement surgeries often result in poor placement of the cup and ball components of the prosthetic hip joint, leading to issues like dislocation and altered leg length, which are unsatisfactory for patients and inefficient for the healthcare system, and current navigation methods are sub-optimal due to the need for patient repositioning and breaking sterility.

Innovation Solution

A hip joint navigation system using modular components with optical and inertial sensors, allowing for precise alignment and measurement of leg length and joint offset, utilizing a jig secured to the pelvis with adjustable optical components and inertial sensors for accurate orientation and alignment of prosthetic components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional navigation methods are used with patient repositioning from supine to lateral position, then anatomical landmarks can be registered, but surgical workflow efficiency deteriorates due to breaking sterility and re-draping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanatomical landmark registration accuracyVSAvoidsurgical workflow efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation system is configured to register anatomical landmarks while the patient remains in the lateral position throughout the surgery. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for subsequent patient repositioning and breaking of sterility, maintaining both measurement precision and surgical workflow efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of the conventional approach of registering landmarks in supine position and then moving to lateral position, the system inverts the sequence by registering landmarks directly in the lateral position, thereby eliminating the inefficient patient repositioning step while maintaining registration accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If cup placement is performed without precise navigation, then surgical procedure is simpler, but placement accuracy deteriorates leading to dislocation and altered leg length

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical procedure simplicityVSAvoidcup and ball component placement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces complex mechanical alignment tools with an optical navigation system that uses cameras and computer vision to track anatomical landmarks and provide real-time alignment guidance, achieving high placement accuracy while maintaining ease of operation through digital rather than purely mechanical means

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation system introduces a computer-based intermediary that processes images of anatomical landmarks and calculates optimal cup and ball component placement, serving as a mediator between the surgeon's actions and the final placement accuracy, thereby improving precision without complicating the surgical procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Improves the accuracy of hip joint component placement, reducing dislocation risks and leg length alterations, enhancing surgical efficiency and patient satisfaction by maintaining sterility and reducing the need for additional surgeries.

Implementation Method 1

The optical component is configured to project light toward a portion of a extremity of the patient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight projection: Light

Implementation Method 2

an inertial sensor coupled to the jig and having at least one degree of freedom relative to the fixation base

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInertial sensing: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentUS20250352361A1Hip replacement navigation system and method

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 ORTHALIGN

AI summary

A hip joint navigation system is provided that includes a base having at least one channel disposed therethrough for receiving a pin for mounting the base to the pelvis. A mount feature is disposed on a top surface. A registration jig is configured to couple with the base and to engage anatomical landmarks. In some aspects, a patient specific jig system for hip replacement is provided including an engagement surface formed to closely mate to acetabular bone contours of a specific patient and a registration feature configured to be in a pre-determined orientation relative to an acetabulum the patient when the jig is coupled with acetabular bone contours of the specific patient. In other aspects, methods of using the systems are provided.