Surgical guidance system with virtual models

Abstract

A method includes generating an anatomical model corresponding to an anatomical feature of a patient, proposing a component for coupling to the anatomical feature of the patient, positioning a virtual model corresponding to the component in a proposed location relative to the anatomical model, generating a planned resection geometry based on a virtual relationship between the virtual model and the anatomical model, tracking movement of a surgical instrument relative to the anatomical feature, and simultaneously displaying the planned resection geometry, the anatomical model, and a graphic corresponding to the surgical instrument on a display based in part on the tracked movement of the surgical instrument relative to the anatomical feature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 generating a representative model of an anatomical feature from an image of a patient's anatomy;   using the representative model to select a virtual surgical component;   installing the virtual surgical component on the representative model of the anatomical feature in a proposed placement;   tracking movement of a surgical cutting instrument with a tracking system;   tracking movement of the anatomical feature with the tracking system when the surgical cutting instrument is moved within a measurement field of the tracking system;   displaying the representative model and a representation of the surgical cutting instrument on a display; and   displaying a cutting plane of the surgical cutting instrument relative to the anatomical feature in the representative model.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 1 , wherein installing the virtual surgical component on the representative model of the anatomical feature in the proposed placement comprises mating a surface of the virtual surgical component with the anatomical feature in a predefined spatial relationship. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising enabling a user to adjust the proposed placement of the virtual surgical component on the representative model. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 1 , wherein using the representative model to select the virtual surgical component comprises proposing a size of the virtual surgical component. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 4 , the operations further comprising enabling a user to adjust the size of the virtual surgical component. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise identifying a bony anatomical landmark of the anatomical feature. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 6 , wherein the bony anatomical landmark is a lateral epicondyle or a medial epicondyle. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising generating a surgical plan from the representative model and the virtual surgical component. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the representative model and the representation of the surgical cutting instrument on the display comprises displaying a tip of the surgical cutting instrument. 
     
     
         10 . Non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 generating a representative model of an anatomical feature from an image of anatomy of a patient;   creating a virtual representation of a patient-matched surgical component based on the representative model;   displaying the virtual representation on the representative model;   allowing manipulation of the representative model of the anatomical feature and the virtual representation of the patient-matched surgical component to gather surgical information using a computer-operated planning program;   planning a surgical protocol from the gathered surgical information, the surgical protocol including a planned cutting geometry disposed relative to the anatomical feature;   displaying a surgical plan image from the surgical protocol and the patient-matched surgical component on a computer display, the surgical plan image including a representation of the planned cutting geometry relative to the representative model;   tracking a resection by a surgical instrument while displaying the representative model; and   guiding a surgical procedure on the anatomical feature by displaying at least a portion of the resection by the surgical instrument relative to the planned cutting geometry of the surgical protocol on the representative model.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 10 , wherein the patient-matched surgical component comprises a prosthetic implant device. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 10 , wherein the patient-matched surgical component is a surgical component having an appropriate size for the anatomical feature. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 12 , the operations further comprising selecting the patient-matched surgical component by automatically proposing the appropriate size for the anatomical feature. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable memory of  claim 10 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises a saw. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 generating an anatomical model corresponding to an anatomical feature of a patient;   proposing a component for coupling to the anatomical feature of the patient;   positioning a virtual model corresponding to the component in a proposed location relative to the anatomical model;   generating a planned resection geometry based on a virtual relationship between the virtual model and the anatomical model;   tracking movement of a surgical instrument relative to the anatomical feature; and   simultaneously displaying the planned resection geometry, the anatomical model, and a graphic corresponding to the surgical instrument on a display based in part on the tracked movement of the surgical instrument relative to the anatomical feature.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising allowing a user to adjust the virtual relationship between the virtual model and the anatomical model following the positioning the virtual model in the proposed location relative to the anatomical model, wherein the proposed location is generated automatically by a computing system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein proposing the component comprises automatically proposing, by a computing system, a size of the component. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the component is an implant for a knee arthroplasty procedure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein tracking movement of the surgical instrument relative to the anatomical feature comprises operating an optical tracking system configured to detect one or more first markers coupled to the anatomical feature and one or more second markers coupled to the surgical tool. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising identifying a lateral epicondyle or a medial epicondyle of the anatomical feature for use in at least displaying the anatomical model.