Disclosed herein are joint implants and methods for tracking joint implant performance. A joint implant according to the present disclosure can include a first implant on a first bone and a second implant on a second bone of a joint. The first implant can include medial and lateral markers. The second implant can include a medial marker reader to identify the medial markers and a lateral marker reader to identify the lateral markers to provide positional data of the first implant with respect to the second implant. The second implant can include a medial load sensor to measure medial load data and a lateral load sensor to measure lateral load data. A processor coupled to the medial marker reader, the lateral marker reader, the medial load sensor, and the lateral load sensor can transmit the positional data, the medial and lateral load data to an external source.

A device for the non-invasive sensing of the length of an implantable medical device includes an implantable medical device having first and second portions moveable relative to one another and a layer of resistive material disposed on one of the first and second portions. A contact is disposed on the other of the first and second portions, the contact being in sliding contact with the layer of resistive material upon relative movement between the first and second portions. A circuit is configured to measure the electrical resistance along a path including a variable length region of the layer of resistive material and the contact. The electrical resistance can then be converted into a length.

An anatomical marker may comprise a body comprising a first material observable to a first imaging modality and a second material observable to a second imaging modality. The first material may be different from the second material. The first imaging modality may be x-ray, computer-aided tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The second imaging modality may be fluorescent imaging. The body may be configured to secure to an external surface of an anatomical feature internal to a patient, without penetrating the external surface.

An orthopedic pin (100) for optically analyzing a bone region (110) includes an elongate shaft (101) and at least one optical fiber (105) The elongate shaft has a circular outer cross section with a first diameter (D1), a distal end (102) for insertion into bone, a proximal end (103), and an optical connector portion (104) disposed towards the proximal end (103). The at least one optical fiber (105) extends within the elongate shaft (101) between the optical connector portion (104), and the distal end (102) for transmitting optical radiation between the optical connector portion (104) and the bone region (110) when the distal end (102) is inserted into the bone region (110). The optical connector portion (104) comprises a reduced-diameter portion (106). The reduced-diameter portion (106) extends along at least a portion of the elongate shaft (101), and has an outer cross section comprising a width (Drd) perpendicularly with respect to the elongate shaft (101). The width (Drd) is less than the first diameter (D1).

Devices and methods are provide for facilitating registration and calibration of surface imaging systems. Tracking marker support structures are described that include one or more fiducial reference markers, where the tracking marker support structures are configured to be removably and securely attached to a skeletal region of a patient. Methods are provided in which a tracking marker support structure is attached to a skeletal region in a pre-selected orientation, thereby establishing an intraoperative reference direction associated with the intraoperative position of the patient, which is employed for guiding the initial registration between intraoperatively acquired surface data and volumetric image data. In other example embodiments, the tracking marker support structure may be employed for assessing the validity of a calibration transformation between a tracking system and a surface imaging system. Example methods are also provided to detect whether or not a tracking marker support structure has moved from its initial position during a procedure.

A computer-assisted medical device includes a control unit, first and second articulated arms, a first imaging device mounted to the first articulated arm, and a medical tool mounted to the second articulated arm. The control unit obtains first images from a second imaging device using a first imaging modality, determines first coordinates of multi-modal anatomical markers secured to a patient based on the first images, obtains second images from the first imaging device using a second imaging modality, determines second coordinates of the multi-modal markers relative to the medical tool based on the second images, at least one of the multi-modal markers including a body comprising a first region observable by the first imaging modality and a second region observable by the second imaging modality, and registers the medical tool to the patient based on the first and second coordinates and kinematic models of the first and second articulated arms.

Laser-based implant guide systems and methods that align an implant with an axis of an anatomical structure of interest are disclosed. The systems include a target base configured to couple to a patient in alignment with the axis, and a target member configured to couple to the target base that includes a visual indication of the location of the axis. The systems further include an implant guide that includes a laser device and a resection guide. The implant guide is configured to adjust at least one of the position and the orientation of the laser device with respect to the anatomical structure of interest such that a laser line projecting from the laser device is aligned with the visual indication of the target member, and the resection guide facilities implantation of the implant in a resected portion of the anatomical structure of interest in alignment with the axis.

A strain sensor includes a flexible substrate and a circuit disposed on the flexible substrate. The circuit includes an inductance to receive an excitation signal, the circuit being configured to generate a radio frequency response to the excitation signal via the inductance. The circuit includes an elongated trace coupled to the inductance and configured to bend and stretch longitudinally upon deformation of the flexible substrate. The elongated trace includes a non-uniformity configured such that the elongated trace deforms and tears at the non-uniformity and exhibits a non-linear increase in resistance as a tensile strain to which the elongated trace is subjected reaches a strain threshold. The non-linear increase in resistance modifies a characteristic of the radio frequency response of the circuit.

An energy transfer system includes a spinal implant having one or more antennae, and the spinal implant is configured to be positioned within a spinal area of a patient, and a relay device configured to be positioned within the patient between the implant and the skin of the patient when implanted. The relay device is configured to receive energy from a reader device located externally to the patient and convey at least a portion of the received energy to the one or more antennae of the spinal implant.

Devices and methods are provide for facilitating registration and calibration of surface imaging systems. Tracking marker support structures are described that include one or more fiducial reference markers, where the tracking marker support structures are configured to be removably and securely attached to a skeletal region of a patient. Methods are provided in which a tracking marker support structure is attached to a skeletal region in a pre-selected orientation, thereby establishing an intraoperative reference direction associated with the intraoperative position of the patient, which is employed for guiding the initial registration between intraoperatively acquired surface data and volumetric image data. In other example embodiments, the tracking marker support structure may be employed for assessing the validity of a calibration transformation between a tracking system and a surface imaging system. Example methods are also provided to detect whether or not a tracking marker support structure has moved from its initial position during a procedure.