Distraction Device With Disposable Force Sensor Pod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025241633-A1
Application number	US-202519083066-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2025
Priority date	Aug 30, 2019
Publication date	Jul 31, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes providing a distraction device, and providing, separate from the distraction device, a disposable force sensor pod configured to be removably coupled to the distraction device. The method also includes communicating, by the disposable force sensor pod, information relating to distraction of a joint by the distraction device to a computing system.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a plurality of disposable force sensor pods; and a distraction device configured to sequentially and removably couple to the plurality of disposable force sensor pods.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a computing system comprising memory and one or more processors, a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising obtaining a distraction force measurement from at least one of the plurality of disposable force sensor pods.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a robotic device, wherein the operations further comprise controlling the robotic device based on a surgical plan determined using the distraction force measurement.

4 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a tracking system configured to track a pose of a first bone and a pose of a second bone.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise identifying at least one of a preferred distraction distance of a ligament stiffness transition point based on the distraction force measurement, the pose of the first bone, and the pose of the second bone.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise generating one or more instructions to modify a position of the distraction device based on at least one of the preferred distraction distance of the ligament stiffness transition point.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining a distraction distance based on the pose of the first bone and the pose of the second bone; and controlling a robotic device based on a surgical plan determined using the distraction force measurement and the distraction distance.

8 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining a plurality of distraction distances, the plurality of distraction distances based on a plurality of poses of the first bone and a plurality of poses of the second bone as the first bone and the second bone move between a range of poses; generating a graphical user interface to be displayed on a display, the graphical user interface including the distraction force measurement and the plurality of distraction distances.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the distraction device comprises a mount configured to sequentially receive the plurality of disposable force sensor pods to removably couple the plurality of disposable force sensor pods to the distraction device.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of disposable force sensor pods comprises a load cell and is configured to:
collect, via the load cell, distraction force data indicative of a distraction force applied at a first bone and a second bone by the distraction device when the disposable force sensor pod is coupled to the distraction device; and communicate, to a computing system, the distraction force data.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the load cell of each of the plurality of disposable force sensor pods is one of a piezoelectric load cell, a capacitive load cell, or a strain gauge load cell.

12 . A system for assessing joint distraction comprising:
a distraction device configured to apply a distraction force to a joint; a plurality of disposable force sensor pods, each force sensor pod configured to be removably coupled to the distraction device, each force sensor configured to measure the distraction force applied by the distraction device to the joint, and a computing system communicatively coupled to the plurality of disposable force sensor pods and configured to receive a measured distraction force and control the distraction device based on the measured distraction force.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a tracking system configured to track bones adjacent to the joint, wherein the computing system is configured to associate the measured distraction force with the tracked bones.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each disposable force sensor pod is configured to wirelessly communicate with the computing system.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of disposable force sensor pods includes a load cell configured to measure the distraction force applied to a first bone and a second bone of the joint.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the computing system is configured to display via a graphical user interface the measured distraction force and a corresponding distraction distance.

17 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a robotic surgical device communicably coupled to the computing system and configured to modify the joint based on the measured distraction force.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the distraction device includes a ratcheting member configured to incrementally adjust an applied distraction force.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each disposable force sensor pod is packaged in a sterile container.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the computing system is configured to control a robotic surgical device to modify the joint based on the measured distraction force and a ligament stiffness transition point of the joint.

Assignees

• Howmedica Osteonics Corp

Inventors

• Otto Jason
• Iorgulescu Radu
• Bechtold Kevin
• Trousdale Jonathan
• Decerce Joseph

Classifications

• G01L1/22

  using resistance strain gauges · CPC title

• A61B34/76

  Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback · CPC title

• A61B2034/2059

  Mechanical position encoders · CPC title

• A61B2034/2055

  Optical tracking systems · CPC title

• A61B2017/00407

  Ratchet means · CPC title