Methods and arrangements for external fixators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12458404-B2
Application number	US-202117791731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Feb 27, 2020
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

Logic may provide a deformity analysis to create a treatment plan for external fixators. Logic may further perform additional refinements to the treatment plan to improve the patient experience. Logic may further include pre-operative osteotomy to select an osteotomy and to provide real-time updates to a post-operative image based on changes to an osteotomy line, orientation, and/or rotation point. Logic may facilitate movement of one or two portions of a medical image to determine an alignment of bone segments in the portions of the medical image. Logic may generate deformity parameters based on a combination of translations and/or rotations of the movement to align the portions. Logic may create a treatment plan including a prescription for an external fixator based on deformity parameters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to determine deformity parameters, the apparatus comprising:
a means for determining a postoperative cut line or cut plane for deformity analysis based on a first image, the first image comprising a postoperative image of a first bone segment and a second bone segment, of a bone;
a means for adjusting a display of the first bone segment and second bone segment via a graphical user interface, based on input received, to move the second bone segment in the display independently from movement of the first bone segment in the display;
a means for determining movements of the second bone segment with respect to the first bone segment in the display to determine the deformity parameters;
a means for identifying a preoperative osteotomy location on a second image of the bone comprising a processor and a chipset coupled with a memory and further comprising a display device coupled with the chipset;
a means for determining a first portion and a second portion of the second image, the first portion and second portion comprising bone segments of the bone, the bone segments representative of a potential, postoperative result of an osteotomy; and
a means for displaying the second image and the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy including the bone segments.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a means for displaying the second image and a two-dimensional, preoperative image of the bone, wherein the second image and the two-dimensional, preoperative image comprise different perspectives of the bone, wherein adjustments to the osteotomy location on either image causes real-time adjustments to both the images and real-time adjustments to the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a means for generating a treatment plan with a prescription for an external fixator based on the movements, a correction rate, and information about the external fixator, wherein the first bone segment and the second bone segment are attached to the external fixator in the first image.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the means for determining a postoperative cut line or cut plane comprises a means for identifying one or more points on the first bone segment, wherein the first image comprises a three-dimensional image, and further comprising a means for determining a cut plane adjacent to the first bone segment.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the means for determining a postoperative cut line or cut plane comprises a means for identifying one or more points on the first bone segment, wherein the first image comprises a two-dimensional image, further comprising a means for determining a cut line adjacent to the first bone segment and a means for analyzing a third image comprising a perspective of the first and second bones segments different from a perspective of the first and second bones segments shown in the second image.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations to:
determine a postoperative cut line or cut plane for deformity analysis based on a first image, the first image comprising a postoperative image of a first bone segment and a second bone segment, of a bone;
adjust a display of the first bone segment and second bone segment via a graphical user interface, based on input received, to move the second bone segment in the display independently from movement of the first bone segment in the display;
determine movements of the second bone segment with respect to the first bone segment in the display to determine deformity parameters;
identify a preoperative osteotomy location on a second image of the bone;
determine a first portion and a second portion of the second image, the first portion and second portion comprising bone segments of the bone, the bone segments representative of a potential, postoperative result of an osteotomy;
display the second image and the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy including the bone segments; and
adjust, in real-time, the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy during receipt of adjustments to the preoperative osteotomy location via the graphical user interface, wherein the preoperative osteotomy location comprises an osteotomy plane, an osteotomy line, an osteotomy rotation point, or a combination thereof.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform operations to adjust the position, rotation, or a combination of the position and rotation of one of the bone segments, in the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy, in response to input received via the graphical user interface.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , further comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform operations to generate a treatment plan with a prescription for an external fixator based on the movements, a correction rate, and information about the external fixator, wherein the first bone segment and the second bone segment are attached to the external fixator in the first image.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein determining a postoperative cut line or cut plane comprises identification of one or more points on the first bone segment and further comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform operations to display, in real-time, deformity parameters responsive to movement of the second bone segment in the second image, via the graphical user interface.

10. An apparatus to determine deformity parameters, the apparatus comprising:
a means for determining a postoperative cut line or cut plane for deformity analysis based on a first image, the first image comprising a postoperative image of a first bone segment and a second bone segment, of a bone;
a means for adjusting a display of the first bone segment and second bone segment via a graphical user interface, based on input received, to move the second bone segment in the display independently from movement of the first bone segment in the display;
a means for determining movements of the second bone segment with respect to the first bone segment in the display to determine the deformity parameters;
a means for identifying a preoperative osteotomy location on a second image of the bone;
a means for determining a first portion and a second portion of the second image, the first portion and second portion comprising bone segments of the bone, the bone segments representative of a potential, postoperative result of an osteotomy;
a means for displaying the second image and the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy including the bone segments; and
a means for adjusting, in real-time, the potential, postoperative result of the osteotomy during receipt of adjustments to the preoperative osteotomy location via the graphical user interface, wherein the preoperative osteotomy location comprises an osteotomy plane, an osteotomy line, an osteotomy rotation point, or a combination thereof.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations to:
determine a postoperative cut line or cut plane for deformity analysis based on a first image, the first image comprising a postoperative image of a first bone segment and a second bone segment, of a bone;
adjust a display of the first bone segment and second bone segment via a graphical user interface, based on input received, to move the second bone segment in the display independently from movement of the first bone segment in the dis

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew Inc
• Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Ag
• Smith & Nephew Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Noblett Andrew P
• Mason Johnny R
• Bell Paul
• Janda Haden
• Standard Shawn
• Ollivere Benjamin

Classifications

• A61B34/10

  Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations · CPC title

• A61B2034/256

  having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles · CPC title

• A61B2034/254

  being adapted depending on the stage of the surgical procedure · CPC title

• A61B2090/3966

  Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image · CPC title

• A61B17/62

  Ring frames, i.e. devices extending around the bones to be positioned ({A61B17/6433} , A61B17/66 take precedence) · CPC title