Device and method for determining the aperture angle of a joint

Abstract

A device for determining the aperture angle of a joint includes a detection device for detecting positions of joint components and/or positions of structures connected to or to be connected to the joint and a computational unit for ascertaining the aperture angle of the joint based on the detected positions.

1 . A method for determining an aperture angle of a joint, said method comprising:
 detecting at least one of (i) positions of components forming the joint and (ii) positions of structures connected to or to be connected to the joint; and   ascertaining the aperture angle of the joint from the detected positions.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 recording at least one of (i) joint structures and (ii) structures connected to or to be connected to the joint; and   using the recorded structures to determine the aperture angle.   
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 performing a segmentation step to sub-divide the recorded structures.   
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 attaching reference markers to at least one of (i) the joint and (ii) the structures connected to or to be connected to the joint.   
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 registering at least one of (i) the joint and (ii) the structures connected to or to be connected to the joint.   
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 visualizing the ascertained aperture angle.   
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein ascertained aperture angles are stored in a storage unit. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining aperture angles of a natural joint in a plurality of directions;   implanting an artificial joint;   determining aperture angles of the implanted joint; and   comparing the determined aperture angles of the natural joint with the determined aperture angles of the implanted joint.   
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising applying defined forces in defined directions to the joint. 
     
     
         10 . A computer program which, when it is loaded onto a computer or run on a computer, performs the method steps as set forth in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed, cause a system to perform the method as set forth in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a device for determining a spatial angle formed by a joint, the device comprising
 a detection device configured to detect (i) positions of joint components and/or (ii) positions of structures connected to or to be connected to the joint, and 
 a computational unit programmed with a program configured to run on the computational unit, wherein the program is configured to ascertain a spatial angle formed by the joint based on the detected positions using joint geometry data stored in a database; and 
   a plurality of reference markers configured to be removably connected to joint structures and/or structures connected to or to be connected to the joint, wherein the detection device is configured to detect the reference markers.