Bone Positioning And Cutting System And Method
Patent No. US10945764 (titled "Bone Positioning And Cutting System And Method") was filed by Midcap Funding Iv Trust on Dec 30, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’764 is related to the field of surgical bone positioning and cutting, specifically addressing the challenge of accurately aligning and cutting bones, particularly small bones in the foot or hand. The background highlights the importance of precise cuts in surgical procedures like bunion corrections (Lapidus procedure) or metatarsal osteotomies, where achieving the correct bone alignment is crucial for successful outcomes. Existing methods may lack the necessary precision and adjustability for these delicate procedures.
The underlying idea behind ’764 is to provide a device and method for precisely positioning and temporarily fixing bones relative to each other during surgery, followed by accurate bone cutting. This is achieved through a multi-axis joint connecting blocks attached to fixation pins inserted into each bone. The joint allows for adjustments in multiple planes, enabling the surgeon to achieve the desired alignment before securing the bones. A bone cutting guide then ensures accurate bone resection.
The claims of ’764 focus on a method of correcting alignment between bones of a foot. The method involves adjusting the position of a metatarsal relative to a cuneiform using a bone positioning device, aligning a bone cutting guide with the joint between these bones, using the guide to remove a portion of either bone, and then fixing the bones in their new position using a bone connector .
In practice, the surgeon inserts fixation pins into the bones to be aligned. The blocks, connected by the multi-axis joint, slide onto these pins. The surgeon then manipulates the blocks to achieve the desired bone alignment, utilizing the multi-axis joint for fine-tuning. Once the alignment is satisfactory, set screws lock the blocks in place, temporarily fixing the bone positions. The bone cutting guide is then aligned with the joint, and a cutting tool is guided by the guide's surface to remove bone with precision.
This approach differs from prior solutions by offering a combination of multi-planar adjustability and guided bone cutting. The fixation pins and sliding blocks allow for initial gross adjustments, while the multi-axis joint enables fine-tuning of the bone alignment. The bone cutting guide ensures that the bone resection is performed accurately in the desired plane, leading to improved surgical outcomes compared to freehand cutting techniques. The device can also apply compression force between the bones to facilitate fusion.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2010s when ’764 was filed, bone cutting and positioning at a time when surgical procedures commonly relied on physical guides and fixation pins to achieve accurate bone alignment and cuts. At a time when computer-assisted surgery was emerging, many procedures were still typically implemented using manual techniques and specialized instruments.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims 1, 2, 4-18 and 21-26 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tyber et al. Claim 3 was rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tyber. Claims 19 and 20 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tyber in view of Simon. Applicant's arguments were considered persuasive and the rejection was withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection was made in view of an alternate interpretation of Tyber.
Claims
This patent contains 26 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a method of correcting an alignment between bones of a foot. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and add detail to the method described in the independent claim, focusing on specific features, components, and steps of the method.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US10945764
- Application Number
- US16730424
- Filing Date
- Dec 30, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jul 15, 2035
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents