Spinal Surgery Navigation

Abstract

A system for aiding surgery on a patient is described including a display device and a storage device that stores an image of at least a portion of the anatomy of the patient, including one or more surgical navigation markers positioned on the patient, for display on the display device. An analyser is adapted to receive positional data of a probe based on positioning of the probe relative to the one or more markers on the patient. Based on the positional data, the analyser outputs correctional data to adjust an alignment of the image on the display device to match locations of said one or more markers.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A system configured for aiding spinal surgery on a patient comprising:
 a probe comprising a tip configured to engage one or more surgical navigation markers secured to one or more vertebrae of a spine of the patient; and   an analyser configured to receive positional data from the probe, the analyser comprising a processor and software, the software being configured to cause:
 (1) the processor to receive positional data of the probe based on positioning of the probe relative to the one or more surgical navigation markers on the patient; 
 (2) the processor to determine a desired surgical correction for at least part of the spine of the patient based on the positional data, the desired surgical correction comprising one or more of the following: a lordosis correction, a kyphosis correction, a scoliosis correction, an angular correction and/or a listhesis correction, and 
 (3) the processor to produce output data indicative of a movement of at least part of the one or more vertebrae of the spine of the patient based on the desired surgical correction data. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , comprising a display device, wherein based on the output data the software is configured to cause the display device to display an indication of one or more of a required lordosis correction, kyphosis correction, scoliosis correction, angular correction and/or listhesis correction of the spine. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , comprising a storage device configured to store one or more images of at least a portion of the spine of the patient,
 wherein the software is configured to cause the display device to display the one or more images and cause the indication of one or more of the required lordosis correction, kyphosis correction, scoliosis correction, angular correction and/or listhesis correction to be superimposed on at least one of the one or more images on the display device.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the software is configured to cause the processor to identify one or more features of a bony anatomy of the patient including one or more of the following: a spinous process, a lamina, a pars interarticularis, an articular process, and a transverse process, and to cause the display device to display an indication of the one or more features of the bony anatomy. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , comprising a storage device configured to store one or more images of at least a portion of the spine of the patient,
 wherein the software is configured to cause the display device to display the one or more images and cause the indication of one or more features of the bony anatomy to be superimposed on at least one of the one or more images on the display device.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the positional data comprises information about the positioning of the probe relative to the patient and the software is configured to cause the display device to display an indication of the positioning of the probe relative to the patient based on the positional data. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , comprising a storage device configured to store one or more images of at least a portion of the spine of the patient,
 wherein the software is configured to cause the display device to display the one or more images and cause the indication of the positioning of the probe relative to the patient to be superimposed on at least one of the one or more images on the display device.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more images include images of the one or more surgical navigation markers secured to the one or more vertebrae of the spine of the patient. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more surgical navigation markers comprise one or more of the following: one or more fiduciary screws and/or one or more pedicle screws. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the one or more surgical navigation markers comprises a connector which engages the probe. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the one or more surgical navigation markers comprises a screw head which engages the probe.