Surgical Alignment Sensor Transfer for Accurate Cup Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The accurate orientation of medical implants, such as acetabular cups, relative to a patient's body is critical for successful surgical procedures, but existing methods lack precision due to potential movement of the pelvic region during surgery, leading to inaccuracies in implant positioning.
Innovation Solution
An electronic orientation sensor is used to determine a reference orientation of the pelvic region and transition to the acetabular cup impactor, monitoring changes in orientation and providing real-time corrections, combined with image capture and marker alignment to ensure precise implant positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single electronic orientation sensor is used and transitioned between locations, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to potential movement of the pelvic region during transition
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by recording the reference orientation of the pelvic region before transitioning the sensor to the impactor. This pre-recording of the baseline orientation allows the system to later calculate accurate relative orientations even after pelvic movement occurs during surgery, thus maintaining measurement precision while using a single sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the orientation sensor data and provides real-time feedback about the relative orientation of the impactor to the pelvic region. This feedback mechanism allows surgeons to adjust the impactor position dynamically, compensating for any pelvic movement and maintaining accurate implant positioning throughout the procedure.
2Measurement precision
If the electronic orientation sensor remains fixed at the pelvic region, then measurement precision is maintained, but adaptability deteriorates as the sensor cannot monitor impactor orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamics by allowing the electronic orientation sensor to be transitioned from a fixed location at the pelvic region to a different location on the impactor during the surgical procedure. This dynamic repositioning enables the single sensor to perform multiple functions: first establishing the reference orientation at the pelvis, then monitoring the impactor orientation, thus achieving adaptability without sacrificing measurement precision through the preliminary action of recording the reference frame.
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
Enhances the accuracy of implant orientation by correcting for pelvic movement and providing real-time guidance, ensuring correct alignment of the acetabular cup impactor relative to the pelvic region.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a gravity vector relative to the orientation sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus comprising: a medical tool moveable to a desired orientation relative to a bone region for implantation of a medical implant; and an electronic orientation sensor transitionable between a first location fixed relative to the bone region of the patient and a second location on the medical tool; wherein, at the first location, the orientation sensor is adapted to record a reference orientation of the bone region of the patient, and, at the second location, the orientation sensor is adapted to determine an orientation of the medical tool relative to the reference orientation, wherein recording the reference orientation comprises measuring a gravity vector relative to the orientation sensor.