Devices and methods for use during knee replacement surgery
OwnerJae S Soninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A knee alignment measurement tool for use during a total knee replacement surgery may include the following main components: a sensor assembly, a display unit configured to power up, operatively control the individual sensors of the sensor assembly, and display the readings therefrom, and a flexible gooseneck cable operatively connecting the sensor assembly to the display unit. The sensor assembly may include a rigid base supporting a circuit board, a left sensor and a right sensor positioned adjacent to the left center, and a cover sealed to the rigid base to enclose the left sensor and the right sensor, wherein the cover does not abut the rigid base during the compression of the sensor assembly.
Claims18
A knee alignment measurement tool comprising:
- a sensor assembly comprising, in turn, a rigid base supporting a left sensor and a right sensor positioned adjacent to the left sensor, and a cover sealed to and spaced apart from the rigid base, the cover comprises at least one thicker portion configured to transmit compression force applied on top thereof without affecting remaining areas of the cover, and
- a display unit operatively connected to the sensor assembly and configured to power up, operatively control the left sensor and the right sensor, and display the readings therefrom,
- wherein the knee alignment measurement tool is configured to provide feedback on compression forces between components of a knee replacement prosthesis and a balance of forces between a left condyle and a right condyle.
An inflatable shim for adjusting a distance between a femur and a tibia during a knee alignment measurement procedure, the inflatable shim is configured to form a stack with a femur-facing insert and a knee alignment measurement tool, the inflatable shim comprises an inflatable bladder and a distance sensor, wherein inflation of the inflatable bladder causes a measurable increase of a total height of the stack corresponding to a measurable increase of the distance between the femur and the tibia,
- wherein the inflatable bladder comprises, in turn, an inflation port configured to ingress and egress air in or out of the inflatable bladder, causing a corresponding change in a height thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.