Systems, methods, and apparatuses for tibial mechanical axis digitization

A system for determining an orientation of a mechanical axis of a tibia, the system comprising:

• an implantable device having at least a first sensor configured to collect first data regarding one or more characteristics of a bone of a patient, wherein the implantable device is configured for implantation in a medullary canal of the tibia;
• an attachment member configured to couple with the implantable device when the implantable device is implanted in the medullary canal of the tibia;
• a targeting device moveably coupled to the attachment member, wherein the targeting device is configured to reference a distal anatomy of a leg, and wherein the targeting device has at least a second sensor configured to collect second data regarding a position and/or orientation of the targeting device;
• and
• at least one target element configured to be placed at or adjacent the distal anatomy of the leg, wherein the targeting device includes or can produce a visual alignment guide configured to reference indicia of the at least one target element, the visual alignment guide being a laser emitting element configured to produce a laser beam operable to project onto one or more indicia of the at least one target element, the at least one target element including a first target element configured to reference a lateral side of a malleoli and a second target element configured to reference a medial side of a malleoli, the targeting device being configured to pivot about two or more axes to orient the targeting device to have the laser emitting element project the laser beam onto the indicia of the first target element and is configured to pivot about the two or more axes to orient the targeting device to have the laser emitting element project the laser beam onto the indicia of the second target element;
• and
• a controller, communicatively coupled to the first sensor of the implantable device and the second sensor of the targeting device, the controller configured to:
• determine a first position from the first data,
• determine an angle of the targeting device,
• determine a position corresponding to a middle of the malleoli from the second data collected when the laser beam is on the indicia of the first target element and when the laser beam is on the indicia of the second target element, and
• determine, from the first position, the angle and the position corresponding to the middle of the malleoli, the orientation of the mechanical axis of the tibia.