Zimmer Technology, Inc.

Zimmer Gmbh

James Grimm

Shawn E McGinley

Anthony Romano

Kevin S Cook

Jackson R Heavener

James S Collins

Dean M J Acker

Sudip Hui

Chetan Rangaiah

Dale E Walriven

Tyler Bell

Greg Mangan

Kathleen J Radford

A joint alignment method comprises using imaging data of at least a portion of a leg to create a leg model, wherein the leg model includes a femur having medial and lateral condyles and a tibia having tibial plateaus that are configured to engage the medial and lateral condyles at a knee joint, displaying an image of the leg model for manipulation by a user, locating a pivot point within one of the medial or lateral condyles, and rotating, in the displayed image, the tibia with respect to the femur, about the pivot point, to obtain a desired knee joint articulation in a specified plane.

System and method for pre-operatively determining desired alignment of a knee joint

Various systems, devices, and methods for facilitating efficient anatomical registration in surgical navigation are disclosed. Such systems and devices can have a data collection unit and a scaling device. The scaling device has a main body having an anatomical registration feature defined therein and at least one scaling marker pathway that is selectively oriented with respect to the anatomical registration feature to facilitate repeatable gross placement of a scaling marker relative to a selected anatomical feature. The scaling marker is selectively displaceable along a scaling marker pathway about and between a first end and a second end thereof to fine-tune scaling marker placement prior to image capture.

X-ray scaling devices, systems, and methods

Methods of ordering and manufacturing orthopedic components eliminate the need to stockpile and inventory large volumes of implants and instruments. In one exemplary embodiment, the surgeon begins by acquiring anatomical data from a patient. The anatomical data may then be loaded into a data comparison program. The data comparison program performs a best-fit analysis by comparing the patient's anatomical data to a number of predesigned, tested, and validated virtual implant models that are stored in a database. Once an implant has been identified by the data comparison program for the individual patient, the surgeon may place an order electronically with the manufacturer via the internet. In one exemplary embodiment, when placing the order, the surgeon will specify the type of implant, the surgery date, specific patient information, shipping information, and the preferred surgical technique that the surgeon anticipates using.

Methods of ordering and manufacturing orthopedic components

Instruments for use in resecting, reshaping, and preparing the end of a bone to receive an implant. The instruments may be equipped with indicator devices in the form of light-emitting devices to project an indicator onto the bone. Examples of such instruments may be a cut guide equipped with a built-in cut plane indicator device and a cut plane indicator device for use with existing cut guides. The cut plane indicator device may provide a visual indication or cue on a surface of the bone indicating where the cut plane of the cut guide will intersect the bone.

Indicator device for use with a surgical guide instrument

A feeler gauge and alignment device comprises a first outer shim having a first end, a second end, and an alignment aperture disposed between the first end and the second end, a second outer shim having a first end, a second end, and an alignment aperture disposed between the first end and the second end, and one or more inner shims disposed between the first outer shim and the second outer shim, each of the one or more inner shims having a first end, a second end, and an alignment aperture disposed between the first end and the second end. The first outer shim, the second outer shim, and the one or more inner shims are rotatably coupled about the first ends.

Combination ligament tensioner and alignment device

A navigated orthopaedic guide is provided for establishing datums used to position subsequent components during an orthopaedic surgical procedure.

Navigated orthopaedic guide and method

A surgical instrument having a grip, a reference structure and an alignment head and method of using. The reference structure has at least one reference element that is registrable in a computer assisted navigation system. The reference element may be a reflective structure for use in an optical tracking system, wire loop for sensing a magnetic field, or other suitable device. The alignment head has a substantially planar alignment surface and may also have a plurality of outwardly extending projections or an electrocautery electrode disposed along an edge of the alignment surface and extending parallel to the alignment surface. The projections may be engaged with an anatomical structure to hold the alignment head in a desired position as the alignment surface is used as a guide to mark the anatomical structure. The disclosed instrument may be used when resecting a femur to prepare the femur to receive the femoral component of a prosthetic hip joint.

Surgical navigation instrument useful in marking anatomical structures

A surgical instrument having an anchoring member securable to an anatomical structure and an implement portion which is adjustably repositionable relative to the anchoring member. The implement portion is selectively translatably adjustable and selectively rotatably adjustable relative to the anchoring member. The implement portion may be selectively translatable along and/or selectively rotatable about at least two substantially perpendicular axes. The implement portion may be selectively translatable about three substantially perpendicular axes and/or selectively rotatable about three substantially perpendicular axes. The instrument may also include at least one reference element to facilitate the registration of the implement portion in a computer implemented guidance system. The reference element may be three non-linearly positioned elements disposed on a member which is removably mounted to the instrument. The implement portion may be a resection guide and the instrument may be used in the resection of a tibia when implanting a prosthetic knee joint.

Surgical instrument and positioning method

A system for registering an orthopedic implant in a computer assisted navigation system. The system includes a plurality of differently sized implants which may be the femoral component or hip stem of a prosthetic hip joint. A registration device is engageable with each of the implants in a predefined relative position. The registration device also includes at least one reference element registerable in the computer assisted navigation system. A second reference structure also having at least one reference element registerable in the computer assisted navigation system is detachably secured to the implant. The relative positions of the reference elements located on the registration device and second reference structure differs for each of the plurality of implants and thereby allows the navigation system to determine the nominal size of the implant. The relative position and orientation of the implant relative to the second structure can also be calibrated using the registration device.

Implant registration device for surgical navigation system

A detachable support arm structure couples a computer-assisted navigation system reference array to an instrument, for example, a surgical instrument, such that the geometry between the reference array and the surgical instrument is predetermined and registration of the instrument in the navigation system does not require calibration each time the reference array and support arm structure are coupled to the instrument. The support arm structure includes a mounting interface engageable with a mounting interface on the instrument. Engagement of the mounting interfaces releasably secures and repeatably and accurately locates and fixes the support structure to the instrument in a predefined geometry in each of six degrees of freedom. The reference array includes at least one reference element and is releasably securable to the support structure in a predefined geometry of the support structure relative to the reference array which repeatably and accurately locates and fixes the support structure relative to the reference array in each of six degrees of freedom.

Growing community of inventors

Winona Lake, IN, United States of America

James Grimm