Systems and methods for measuring performance parameters related to orthopedic arthroplasty

Abstract

A knee balancing system for measuring performance parameters associated with an orthopedic articular joint comprises a force sensing module and one or more inertial measurement units. The force sensing module comprises a housing that includes an articular surface having a medial portion and a lateral portion, each of which is substantially mechanically isolated from the other. The force sensing module also includes first and second sets of sensors disposed within the housing. The first set of sensors is mechanically coupled to the medial portion of the articular surface and configured to detect information indicative of a first force incident upon the medial portion of the articular surface. The second set of sensors is mechanically coupled to the lateral portion of the articular surface and configured to detect information indicative of a second force incident upon a lateral portion of the articular surface. The inertial measurement unit is configured to detect information indicative of an orientation of at least one of a first bone and a second bone of a knee joint.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A force and orientation sensing system for measuring performance parameters associated with an orthopedic articular joint, comprising:
 a force sensing module comprising:   a housing including an articular surface having a medial portion and a lateral portion, each of which is substantially mechanically isolated from the other;   a first set of sensors disposed within the housing, the first set of sensors being mechanically coupled to the medial portion of the articular surface and configured to detect information indicative of a first force incident upon the medial portion of the articular surface; and   a second set of sensors disposed within the housing, the second set of sensors being mechanically coupled to the lateral portion of the articular surface and configured to detect information indicative of a second force incident upon a lateral portion of the articular surface, and   an orientation sensing module comprising a first orientation sensor and a second orientation sensor, wherein the orientation sensing module is configured to detect, via the first and second orientation sensors, a relative orientation of at least two bones associated with the articular joint, wherein the articular joint is an articular joint of an upper extremity of a patient.   
     
     
         2 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , further configured to estimate, based at least in part on force values detected by the first set of sensors, a magnitude and a location of a center of force associated with the first force incident upon the medial portion of the articular surface. 
     
     
         3 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of sensors includes a plurality of transducers, each transducer including:
 a respective cantilever component at least a portion of which is configured to deform in response to the second force incident upon the lateral portion of the articular surface; and   a respective strain gauge coupled to the respective cantilever component and configured to measure the deformation in the respective cantilever component;   wherein at least a portion of each cantilever component associated with the plurality of transducers is mechanically supported at a proximal end by a central base component.   
     
     
         4 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the information indicative of the first and second forces to a remote processing module. 
     
     
         5 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second orientation sensors is an inertial measurement unit. 
     
     
         6 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second orientation sensors are located outside the articular joint. 
     
     
         7 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing module is located outside the articular joint. 
     
     
         8 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensing module is configured to detect, via each of the first and second orientation sensors, a respective relative orientation of a bone with respect to a reference orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 8 , wherein the orientation sensing module is further configured to detect an angular relationship between the at least two bones associated with the articular joint. 
     
     
         10 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 9 , wherein the angular relationship is at least one of a flexion-extension angle, a varus-valgus angle, or a rotation angle. 
     
     
         11 . The force and orientation sensing system of  claim 9 , further comprising a processing device communicatively coupled to the orientation sensing module and configured to compute, based at least in part on the respective relative orientations of the bones, the angular relationship.