Intraoperative Systems and Methods for Determining and Providing for Display a Virtual Image Overlaid onto a Visual Image of a Bone

Abstract

Example methods and systems may be used intraoperatively to help surgeons perform accurate and replicable surgeries, such as knee arthroplasty surgeries. An example system combines real time measurement and tracking components with functionality to compile data collected by the hardware to register a bone of a patient, calculate an axis (e.g., mechanical axis) of the leg of the patient, assist a surgeon in placing cut guides, and verify a placement of an inserted prosthesis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a measurement device to collect information of a surface of a bone of a limb of a patient, to track one or more reference points positioned on one or more bones or an anatomy of the patient, and to track one or more reference points positioned on a surgical device;   one or more processors; and   data storage including instructions executable by the one or more processors for performing functions comprising:
 determining a visual model of the bone based on the collected information of the surface of the bone; 
 recognizing a position and a movement of the bone in physical space based on the tracked reference points positioned on the one or more of the bone or the anatomy of the patient and causing the visual model of the bone to reflect the position and the movement of the bone in physical space; 
 recognizing a position and a movement of the surgical device in physical space based on the tracked reference points positioned on the surgical device; and 
 providing for display a virtual image overlaid onto the visual model of the bone, wherein the virtual image includes information for assisting in placement of the surgical device at a position on the bone based on the position and the movement of the surgical device in physical space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors perform the functions intraoperatively during surgery. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises:
 receiving a live image of the bone;   providing for display the live image of the bone; and   displaying a virtual cutting plane onto the live image of the bone.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further perform functions comprising:
 providing a virtual view of a resection on the bone.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image further comprises:
 providing for display a graphic illustrating placement of a prosthesis in relation to the bone.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image further comprises:
 providing for display information indicating one or more of a lateral gap of a knee of the patient, a medial gap of the knee of the patient, a valgus alignment of the knee of the patient, a flexion of a femoral cut, and a slope of a tibial cut.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises:
 displaying the virtual image including placement of the surgical device, a graphic illustrating placement of a prosthesis in relation to the bone, and information indicating one or more of a lateral gap, a medial gap, and a valgus alignment of a knee of the patient with placement of the prosthesis.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more cameras for capturing a live image of the bone; and   wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises further providing for display the virtual image overlaid on the live image of the bone.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the measurement device is one or more cameras for capturing live images.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 receiving information, collected by a measurement device, of a surface of a bone of a limb of a patient;   determining a visual model of the bone based on the collected information of the surface of the bone;   recognizing a position and a movement of the bone in physical space based on tracked reference points positioned on one or more of the bone or an anatomy of the patient and causing the visual model of the bone to reflect the position and the movement of the bone in physical space;   recognizing a position and a movement of a surgical device in physical space based on tracked reference points positioned on the surgical device; and   providing for display a virtual image overlaid onto the visual model of the bone, wherein the virtual image includes information for assisting in placement of the surgical device at a position on the bone based on the position and the movement of the surgical device in physical space.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving the information of the surface of the bone as exposed from the limb of the patient in real time during surgery.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the information, collected by the measurement device, of the surface of the bone of the limb of the patient comprises:
 receiving the information using a scanning tool in real time during surgery.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a virtual view of a resection on the bone.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 displaying the virtual image including placement of the surgical device, a graphic illustrating placement of a prosthesis in relation to the bone, and information indicating one or more of a lateral gap, a medial gap, and a valgus alignment of a knee of the patient with placement of the prosthesis.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a computing device that includes one or more processors causes the computing device to perform functions comprising:
 receiving information, collected by a measurement device, of a surface of a bone of a limb of a patient;   determining a visual model of the bone based on the collected information of the surface of the bone;   recognizing a position and a movement of the bone in physical space based on tracked reference points positioned on one or more of the bone or an anatomy of the patient and causing the visual model of the bone to reflect the position and the movement of the bone in physical space;   recognizing a position and a movement of a surgical device in physical space based on tracked reference points positioned on the surgical device; and   providing for display a virtual image overlaid onto the visual model of the bone, wherein the virtual image includes information for assisting in placement of the surgical device at a position on the bone based on the position and the movement of the surgical device in physical space.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises:
 receiving a live image of the bone;   providing for display the live image of the bone; and   displaying a virtual cutting plane onto the live image of the bone.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises:
 receiving the information of the bone as exposed from the limb of the patient in real time during surgery.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the function of receiving the information, collected by the measurement device, of the surface of the bone of the limb of the patient comprises:
 receiving the information using a scanning tool in real time during surgery.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises:
 providing a virtual view of a resection on the bone.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the function of providing for display the virtual image comprises:
 displaying the virtual image including placement of the surgical device, a graphic illustrating placement of a prosthesis in relation to the bone, and information indicating one or more of a lateral gap, a medial gap, and a valgus alignment of a knee of the patient with placement of the prosthesis.