Computer-assisted cranioplasty

Abstract

Provided is a surgical method. The method includes detecting a location of a reference unit having a trackable element with a detector, the detector configured to provide at least one signal corresponding to a detected location of at least the reference unit's trackable element, wherein the reference unit is associated with a location of an anatomical feature of a being's anatomy; accessing a computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy, the computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy having a first updatable orientation, wherein the first updatable orientation is updated in response to the at least one signal; accessing a computer-readable reconstruction of an implant having a second updatable orientation; detecting a location of a pointer tool comprising a trackable element with the detector, the detector further configured to provide at least one other signal corresponding to a detected location of at least the pointer tool, wherein the pointer tool is associated with a location of an anatomical feature of interest; accessing at least one computer-readable reconstruction of a trace, the trace corresponding to a geometry of the anatomical feature of interest based on updated detected locations of the pointer tool; superimposing the at least one updatable, computer-readable trace on the second computer-readable reconstruction of the implant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical method, comprising:
 detecting a first location of a reference unit comprising a first trackable element with a detector, the detector configured to provide an at least one signal upon detecting the first trackable element of the reference unit, wherein the reference unit is associated with a location of a reference anatomical feature of a being's anatomy;   accessing a computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy, the computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy comprising a first updatable orientation, wherein the first updatable orientation is updated in response to the at least one signal;   accessing a computer-readable reconstruction of an implant comprising a second updatable orientation;   detecting a location of a pointer tool comprising a second trackable element with the detector, the detector further configured to provide an at least one other signal upon detecting the second trackable element of the pointer tool, wherein the pointer tool is associated with a location of an anatomical feature of interest;   accessing at least one computer-readable reconstruction of a trace, the trace corresponding to a geometry of the anatomical feature of interest based on updated detected locations of the pointer tool; and   superimposing the at least one updatable, computer-readable trace on the computer-readable reconstruction of the implant.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical method of  claim 1 , wherein the first trackable element and the second trackable element comprise an IR reflector or an IR emitter. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace comprises projecting the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace onto the implant. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical method of  claim 4 , further comprising removing portions of the implant adjacent to an implant surface on which the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace is projected. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical method of  claim 4 , further comprising marking the implant with a marking tool at points on the implant on which the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace is projected. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical method of  claim 6 , further comprising removing portions of the implant adjacent to the marking on the implant. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace comprises projecting the trace onto the implant, removing portions of the implant not enclosed by a projection on the surface of the implant formed on the implant surface on which the projected computer-readable reconstruction of the trace is projected, and fitting the implant onto the being. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace, wherein the generating of the computer-readable reconstruction of the trace comprises detecting an updated location of the pointer tool upon physically contacting the anatomical feature of interest with the pointer tool. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching the reference unit to the reference anatomical feature being's anatomy. 
     
     
         11 . A method of sizing an implant to an anatomical feature, comprising:
 generating at least one computer-readable reconstruction of a being's anatomy with a source, wherein the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy includes position information corresponding to an orientation of the source;   accessing the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy and position information;   displaying an image based on the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy and the position information; and   superimposing the image onto an object.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy comprises a plurality of digital images, wherein at least one of the plurality of digital images is associated with position information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising stitching the plurality of digital images together to form the computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the object is an implant and the displaying comprises projecting the image onto a surface of the implant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the source that generates the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy is a camera. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the camera is an RGB camera. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the source that generates the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy is a depth sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the source that generates the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy is a combination of a depth sensor and a camera. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the source that generates the at least one computer-readable reconstruction of the being's anatomy is a laser scanning device.