Patent ID: 9492238
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F,G06F

Claim Text:
1. A method of measuring alignment to a mechanical axis of a muscular-skeletal system comprising the steps of: moving a joint through a first movement wherein a single tracking device is coupled to the joint, wherein the joint is moved between a first point and a second wherein the first movement pivots from a first pivot point, wherein a reference position of the joint is approximately centered between the first point and the second point, wherein the first point is 45 degrees or less from the reference position, and wherein the second point is 45 degrees or less from the reference position; sending tracking measurement data to a computer wherein a joint position is tracked and wherein the tracking measurement data comprises a plurality of position measurements throughout the first movement; moving the joint through a second movement; sending tracking measurement data to the computer wherein a joint position is tracked and wherein the tracking measurement data comprises a plurality of position measurements from throughout the second movement; and calculating alignment relative to a mechanical axis wherein the computer uses the tracking measurement data from the first and second movements to calculate alignment wherein the first movement measures a varus or valgus number relative to the mechanical axis of the first bone and wherein the second movement measures a varus or valgus number of the second bone relative to the mechanical axis; and subtracting the varus or valgus number of the second bone from the varus or valgus number of the first bone to calculate the alignment of the first and second bones to the mechanical axis.