TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to devices, systems and methods for providing optical feedback to a user. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to devices, systems and methods that provide optical feedback to a medical professional using a surgical instrument to position and orient an implant during an operative procedure.

BACKGROUND

The use of computers, robotics, and imaging to aid orthopaedic surgery is known in the art. There has been a great deal of study and development of computer-aided navigation and robotic systems used to guide surgical procedures. For example, computer assisted surgical navigation systems can aid surgeons in locating patient anatomical structures, guiding surgical instruments, and implanting medical devices with a high degree of accuracy. Such surgical navigation systems employ various forms of computing technology to perform a wide variety of standard and minimally invasive surgical procedures and techniques. Moreover, these systems allow surgeons to more accurately plan, track and navigate the placement of instruments and implants relative to the body of a patient, and conduct preoperative and intraoperative body imaging.

Orthopaedic implants are used for resurfacing or replacing joints, such as knees, hips, shoulders, ankles, and elbows, that typically experience high levels of stress and wear or traumatic injury. Implants used to replace these joints must be strong and able to withstand daily stress and wear, especially for weight-bearing knee and hip replacements. However, providing a sufficiently strong implant that also fits properly is challenging. Traditional orthopaedic implants are made from polymer, ceramic, metal or other appropriate materials and are formed so that they fit the patient's bone securely.

Computer assisted surgical systems allow a user to plan an implant procedure, such as a total hip arthroplasty (THA), a total knee arthroplasty (TKA), or an arthroplasty of another joint, and view a projected outcome. For example, correct acetabular cup orientation is critical for a successful THA procedure. Malposition of the acetabular cup has been linked to an increased rate of dislocation, an increased rate of linear fracture, and increased wear on the implant and anatomical structure.

Preoperative templating based on patient imaging has been used to attempt to properly size and orient the acetabular cup. However, implementing a preoperative plan can be difficult and time consuming. This is especially the case during a THA procedure performed with a direct anterior approach because tissue occlusion impedes cup visualization.

Surgical navigation and robotic systems have been developed to facilitate placement of an implant with a high degree of accuracy. Navigation allows a surgeon to implement a preoperative or intraoperative surgical plan using screen-based feedback. However, such systems require a surgeon to shift their gaze back and forth between the patient and the screen during placement of the implant, which is an inefficient process that can further contribute to deviations from the surgical plan.

