Systems and methods for prosthetic component orientation

A system for determining an orientation parameter value of a prosthetic component, the system comprising:

• an input device configured to receive a first desired separation distance between a first prosthetic component and a second prosthetic component at a first flexion position of a flexion joint comprising a first bone and a second bone;
• a tracking or imaging system configured to determine relative positions of the first bone and the second bone at a plurality of flexion positions of the joint;
• a processor, operatively coupled to the input device and configured to:
• determine a planned preliminary orientation of a first prosthetic component in the joint using a virtual model of the joint and a virtual model of the first prosthetic component;
• record positional data of the first bone and the second bone determined using the tracking or imaging system when the joint is in the first flexion position;
• estimate, based on the positional data, a first estimated separation distance between the first prosthetic component and a second prosthetic component at the first flexion position of the joint for at least one potential orientation of the first prosthetic component;
• and
• determine a first error value as the difference between the first desired separation distance and the first estimated separation distance;
• determine a first orientation parameter value of the first prosthetic component that minimizes the first error value;
• and
• a display operatively coupled to the processor and configured to output the first orientation parameter value;
• and
• wherein the processor is further configured to move the virtual model of the first prosthetic component in the virtual model of the joint according to the first orientation parameter value to update the planned preliminary orientation of the first prosthetic component;
• and
• wherein the processor is further configured to provide to a user a location for implanting the first prosthetic component on the associated first bone or second bone according to the first orientation parameter value.

A computer-implemented method for determining an orientation of a prosthetic component, the method comprising:

• determining, by a processor associated with a computer, a planned preliminary orientation of a first prosthetic component in a flexion joint using a virtual model of the joint comprising a first bone and a second bone, and a virtual model of the first prosthetic component;
• determining, using a tracking or imaging system, relative positions of the first bone and the second bone at a plurality of flexion positions of the joint;
• recording, by a processor associated with a computer, relative positions of the first bone and the second bone at the plurality of flexion positions determined using the tracking or imaging system;
• receiving, from a user via a user interface, a plurality of looseness values, each of the plurality of looseness values corresponding to a looseness preference between the first prosthetic component and a second prosthetic component for one of the plurality of flexion positions of the joint;
• determining a first error value based on the recorded relative positions of the first bone and the second bone, and the received looseness values;
• determine an orientation of the first prosthetic component that minimizes the first error value;
• displaying, on a display, the orientation of the first prosthetic component;
• moving the virtual model of the first prosthetic component in the model of the joint according to the determined orientation to update the planned preliminary orientation of the first prosthetic component;
• and
• providing to the user a location for implanting the first prosthetic component on the associated first bone or second bone according to the determined orientation.