Method and system for validating bone alterations in computer-assisted surgery

Abstract

A system for validating bone alterations during computer-assisted surgery, comprises a processing unit; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory communicatively coupled to the processing unit and comprising computer-readable program instructions executable by the processing unit for: registering a surface of a bone in a coordinate system using a geometry of a patient specific tracker device on the surface of the bone; tracking a tool relative to the bone in the coordinate system as a function of implant geometry and of a planned implant position and orientation on the bone; and validating at least one alteration to the bone using a mating geometry of a validation tracker device applied to an altered surface of the bone.

1 . A kit comprising:
 a patient-specific tracker device with a trackable reference, the patient specific tracker device having at least one contact surface being a negative of a pre-operative surface of the bone, whereby the patient specific tracker device is configured for being applied against the pre-operative surface of the bone for subsequent tracking of the pre-operative surface of the bone;   a validation tracker device with a trackable reference, the validation tracker device having at least one contact surface for mating with an altered surface on the bone for validation a location of the altered surface; and   an implant configured for being installed against the altered surface of the bone.   
     
     
         2 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the patient-specific tracker device includes at least one attachment bore for receiving a pin. 
     
     
         3 . The kit according to  claim 2 , wherein the validation tracker device includes at least one attachment bore for being installed on the pin positioned using the patient-specific tracker device. 
     
     
         4 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the patient-specific tracker device includes at least one bore for drilling a hole in the bone. 
     
     
         5 . The kit according to  claim 4 , wherein the validation tracker device includes at least one bore for receiving a peg for validating a position of the hole in the bone. 
     
     
         6 . The kit according to  claim 4 , wherein the validation tracker device includes at least one peg for validating a position of the hole in the bone. 
     
     
         7 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further including a processing unit, and a non-transitory computer-readable memory communicatively coupled to the processing unit and comprising computer-readable program instructions executable by the processing unit, the computer-readable program instructions including a model of the validation tracker device and of the patient-specific unique coupling engagement between the validation tracker device and the altered surface of the bone. 
     
     
         8 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further including a processing unit, and a non-transitory computer-readable memory communicatively coupled to the processing unit and comprising computer-readable program instructions executable by the processing unit, the computer-readable program instructions including a model of the patient-specific tracker device and of the patient-specific unique coupling engagement between the patient-specific tracker device and the pre-operative surface of the bone. 
     
     
         9 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the patient-specific tracker device includes at least one bore for receiving a fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The kit according to  claim 9 , wherein the fastener is sized so as to penetrate the bone at most to plane corresponding to the altered surface on the bone. 
     
     
         11 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the trackable references are optically detectable references. 
     
     
         12 . The kit according to  claim 11 , wherein the optically detectable references are retroreflective. 
     
     
         13 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the validation tracker device is pinless. 
     
     
         14 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further including another validation tracker device with a trackable reference, the validation tracker device having at least one contact surface for mating with another altered surface on the bone. 
     
     
         15 . The kit according to  claim 14 , wherein the implant is configured for being installed against the altered surface of the bone and the other altered surface of the bone.