Bone fixation monitoring system

A method of monitoring bone fracture ossification from a plurality of subjects, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a wireless communication network, a plurality of data sets from a plurality of subjects, each data set representing a plurality of strain measurements taken from a smart fixation device secured to a bone of a subject across a fracture, the plurality of strain measurements including at least a first strain measurement indicative of an amount of load carried by the fixation device across the fracture (Primary Strain), and at least a second strain measurement indicative of an amount of load carried by the fixation device at solid bone (Reference Strain);
• calculating a ratio of an amount of Primary Strain to an amount of Reference strain for each of the plurality of data sets.
• storing each data set and each calculated ratio in nonvolatile memory in connection with the date and time of the strain measurements and with a patient identifier representing the source of the measurement;
• and
• providing a physician interface to graphically illustrate a change in the ratio from each of a plurality of different subjects over time.

A method of acquiring bone ossification data from an implantable smart fixation device provided within a subject, the method including:

• energizing an extracorporeal antenna to generate an alternating magnetic field and inductively energize a plurality of load sensors provided in contact with a bone plate secured to a bone across a fracture;
• receiving, via the extracorporeal antenna, a wireless data signal from each of the plurality of load sensors, the wireless data signal indicative of an amount of strain experienced by the bone plate;
• identifying a representative strain value from each wireless data signal;
• determining an amount of relative load carried by the bone plate across the fracture by dividing a first strain value indicative of an amount of strain experienced by the bone plate at the fracture by a second strain value that is indicative of an amount of strain experienced by the bone plate apart from the fracture.