Sensor-Guided Orthopedic Care Pathway for Personalized Joint Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthopedic surgery and prosthetic joint procedures lack personalized approaches to address individual patient variations, leading to variations in surgical outcomes, increased costs, and extended recovery times.
Innovation Solution
A kinetic orthopedic measurement system using implantable and wearable sensors to provide real-time quantitative measurement data for pre-operative planning, intra-operative adjustments, and post-operative monitoring, integrating with a digital application for patient feedback and rehabilitation guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standardized surgical procedures and tools are used to meet general population needs, then ease of manufacture and device availability are improved, but individual patient variations cannot be adequately addressed, leading to variable surgical outcomes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting patient-specific anatomical data through imaging and wearable sensors before surgery, creating a personalized surgical plan that accounts for individual variations. This pre-operative customization resolves the contradiction by maintaining standardized surgical tools while adapting the surgical approach to each patient's unique anatomy through pre-planned adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where intra-operative sensors provide real-time data on implant positioning and patient response, allowing the surgeon to adjust the standardized procedure to match the specific patient's anatomy and needs. This feedback mechanism enables standardized tools to achieve customized outcomes by continuously adapting the surgical process based on measured parameters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If surgeon skill and adaptation are relied upon to fit replacement joints to individual patient circumstances, then personalized care is improved, but surgical time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating detailed patient-specific surgical plans before the operation using pre-operative imaging and anatomical measurements. This pre-planning reduces intra-operative decision-making time and allows the surgeon to efficiently execute personalized adjustments without extending overall surgical duration, as the customization work is completed in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual measurement and estimation methods with automated digital imaging, 3D modeling, and computer-guided positioning tools. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with digital automation enables personalized surgical adaptation while reducing the time required for measurement, planning, and execution compared to traditional surgeon-only adaptation methods.
3Reliability
If comprehensive patient monitoring and personalized rehabilitation are implemented, then patient outcomes are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies universality by using a single integrated platform that performs multiple functions: pre-operative planning, intra-operative guidance, post-operative monitoring, and rehabilitation management. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system complexity compared to separate specialized systems for each function, while maintaining comprehensive patient outcome improvement through continuous data collection and analysis across all surgical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by providing patients with access to their own rehabilitation data and progress tracking through user-friendly interfaces, allowing them to actively participate in their recovery without requiring constant professional intervention. This self-monitoring capability improves outcomes while reducing the complexity of professional monitoring requirements.
4Ease of operation
If traditional standardized surgical tools and procedures are used, then device simplicity and ease of use are maintained, but surgical precision and personalization are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary layer of digital planning and computer-guided positioning between the surgeon and the standardized surgical tools. This intermediary uses pre-operative 3D models and intra-operative sensors to provide real-time guidance, enabling precise implant placement with standardized tools by adding a layer of digital mediation that translates simple tool operations into precise personalized outcomes.
Data Source
AI summary
An end to end process is disclosed that includes an installation of a prosthetic component, a prosthetic joint, or repair a musculoskeletal system. The pathway of care comprises a pre-operative pathway of care, an intra-operative pathway of care, and a post-operative pathway of care. An application downloaded to a computer drives the process. The application can include integrated PROMS, pain scores, patient Q&A, surveys, a calendar of events (such as physical therapy visits), and contact to surgeon, doctor, or healthcare provider. The pathway of care is an end to end process utilizing wearable devices, implantable devices, sensorized equipment, and sensorized tools to generate measurement data that supports a pre-operative plan, surgery, and post-operative rehabilitation. The application couples to the devices disclosed herein above to engage the patient one or more tasks such that sensors on the devices generate measurement data. The process provides better patient care while allowing the surgeon, doctor, or healthcare provider to handle more patients.