External adjustment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11589901-B2
Application number	US-202016784211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2020
Priority date	Feb 8, 2019
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

An external adjustment device for non-invasively adjusting an implant, the external adjustment device including a controller in communication with an actuator associated with the adjustable implant and a sensor configured to receive information from or about the adjustable implant. The external adjustment device may further comprise a power source and a display. According to one exemplary embodiment, the external adjustment device comprises a magnetic element configured to generate a rotating magnetic field; and a driver configured to drive the magnetic element to generate the rotating magnetic field and configured to rotate a permanent magnet of an adjustable implant, wherein upon placing the external adjustment device in proximity to an adjustable implant having a permanent magnet the magnetic element is configured to magnetically couple with the permanent magnet, and wherein the external adjustment device is configured to non-invasively determine one or more of a magnetic coupling state and a stalled state of the magnetic element and the permanent magnet disposed within the adjustable implant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An external adjustment device for non-invasively adjusting an implant, the external adjustment device comprising:
a controller;
a motor; and
at least one magnet rotatably coupled to the motor;
wherein upon placing the external adjustment device in proximity to an adjustable implant the at least one magnet is configured to magnetically couple with a permanent magnet of the adjustable implant;
wherein upon a movement of the at least one magnet, the controller is configured to detect a magnetic coupling state of the at least one magnet with the permanent magnet of the adjustable implant; and
wherein the controller is configured to determine an acceleration of the motor, and to use the acceleration to determine a stalling state of the at least one magnet with the permanent magnet of the adjustable implant.

2. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic coupling state detected by the controller is one of a coupled state and an uncoupled state.

3. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a rotational speed of the motor.

4. The external adjustment device of claim 3 , wherein the controller uses the rotational speed to determine the coupling state of the at least one magnet with the permanent magnet of the adjustable implant.

5. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , wherein the determination is made by transforming an acceleration array using a fast Fourier transform (FFT).

6. The external adjustment device of claim 5 , wherein the determination is made by observing a third harmonic of the fast Fourier transform (FFT).

7. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with and control the motor.

8. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , the controller comprising a smartphone.

9. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , further comprising a power storage device.

10. The external adjustment device of claim 9 , wherein the power storage device is a battery.

11. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , comprising a memory.

12. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , comprising a display configured to communicate information to a user.

13. The external adjustment device of claim 12 , wherein the information communicated to the user comprises a magnetic coupling state of the at least one magnet with the permanent magnet of the adjustable implant.

14. The external adjustment device of claim 12 , wherein the information communicated to the user comprises an amount of change in at least one of: a dimension of the adjustable implant and a force on the adjustable implant.

15. The external adjustment device of claim 12 , wherein the information communicated to the user comprises a speed of rotation of one or more of: the at least one magnet and the permanent magnet of the adjustable implant.

16. The external adjustment device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to prevent a change in a dimension of an implantable medical device beyond a pre-determined limit.

17. A system comprising the external adjustment device and the adjustable implant of claim 1 .

18. An external adjustment device for non-invasively adjusting an implant, the external adjustment device comprising:
a controller;
a motor; and
at least one magnet rotatably coupled to the motor;
wherein upon placing the external adjustment device in proximity to an adjustable implant, the at least one magnet is configured to magnetically couple with a permanent magnet of the adjustable implant; and
wherein the controller is configured to determine an acceleration of the motor, and to use the acceleration to determine a stalling state of the at least one magnet with the permanent magnet of the adjustable implant by transforming an acceleration array using a fast Fourier transform (FFT).

Assignees

• Nuvasive Specialized Orthopedics Inc

Inventors

• Cheng Shanbao
• Van Zuiden Everett
• Bilger Luke

Classifications

• A61B17/7216

  for bone lengthening or compression (A61B17/7258 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01F7/0242

  Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices · CPC title

• A61B2017/00199

  with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display · CPC title

• A61B17/7011 Primary

  Longitudinal element being non-straight, e.g. curved, angled or branched (adjustable length longitudinal elements A61B17/7014; A61B17/7019 takes precedence, e.g. coil springs) · CPC title

• A61B2017/681

  Alignment, compression, or distraction mechanisms · CPC title