Implantable reporting processor for an alert implant

Abstract

The present disclosure provides alert implants that comprise a medical device and an implantable reporting processor (IRP), where one example of such a medical device includes a component for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) such as a tibial extension, a femoral component for hip replacements, a breast implant, a distal rod for arm or leg breakage repair, a scoliosis rod, a dynamic hip screw, a spinal interbody spacer, and tooling and methods that may be used to form the alert implant, and uses of such alert implants in the health maintenance of patients who receive the implant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 implanting a portion of a prosthesis into a cavity in a tibia, the prosthesis including an implantable reporting processor having an outer casing enclosing an antenna, electronic circuitry, and a battery; the outer casing comprising a radome at a first end that covers at least a portion of the antenna, where the radome comprises a plastic material that allows RF signals to propagate to and from the antenna through the radome;   wherein implanting a portion of the prosthesis into the cavity comprises first inserting the first end of the outer casing into the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the prosthesis includes a tibial plate, the method further comprising:
 coupling the casing of the implantable reporting processor to the tibial plate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising using a set screw to secure the casing of the implantable reporting processor to the tibial plate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the casing of the implantable reporting processor comprises a central section and a coupling section,   the tibial plate comprises a receptacle, and   coupling the casing of the implantable reporting processor to the tibial plate comprises inserting the coupling section and a portion of the central section into the receptacle.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the portion of the central section inserted into the receptacle surrounds a portion of the battery. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the casing of the implantable reporting processor is outside of the receptacle and the portion of the casing outside of the receptacle comprises the electronic circuitry and the antenna. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of the casing of the implantable reporting processor is outside of the receptacle and the portion of the casing outside of the receptacle comprises a portion of the battery. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radome comprises a closed end that defines an end of the implantable reporting processor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radome comprises a tapered sidewall. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the tapered sidewall reduces in size from a first outer-surface dimension at a first region of the tapered sidewall away from a closed end of the radome, to a second outer-surface dimension less than the first outer-surface dimension at a second region of the tapered sidewall near the closed end. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the antenna comprises a single loop that extends within the radome between the first region of the tapered sidewall to the second region of the tapered sidewall. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable reporting processor comprises a biocompatible material within the radome. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the biocompatible material fills the radome. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radome is void of air. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring the electronic circuitry such that the battery has a projected lifetime of at least one year. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring the electronic circuitry such that the battery has a projected lifetime of at least ten years. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a timing circuit, a processing circuit, and an inertial measurement unit, and further comprising configuring the timing circuit to activate the processing circuit to selectively couple to the inertial measurement unit at one or more programmed times per day. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a timing circuit, a processing circuit, and an inertial measurement unit, and further comprising configuring the timing circuit to activate the processing circuit to selectively couple to the inertial measurement unit a number of times per day.