Patents by Inventor Marc Puls

Marc Puls has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20200405400
    Abstract: Surgical instrument calibration methods, systems, and devices are provided that allow a virtual representation of a surgical instrument to be modified to adjust for any variations in a distal tip of a surgical instrument. For example, an instrument calibration system is provided that can have a surgical instrument, a calibration instrument, and a monitoring system. The surgical instrument can have a distal tip and an orientation element thereon, and the calibration instrument can have a pivot point thereon and a calibration reference element attached thereto. The monitoring system can be configured to record movement of the surgical instrument with respect to the calibration instrument when the tip of the surgical instrument is inserted into the pivot point of the calibration instrument, and to calculate a deviation of the tip of the surgical instrument from a predefined ideal tip based on the recorded movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Steffen Schumann, Marc Puls
  • Publication number: 20200360091
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system attaches a patient reference array of a computer-assisted surgery system to a patient. The system includes a fixation post having a shaft having proximal and distal ends that are offset from. A threaded fastener is coupled to the shaft at the distal end that rotates relative to the shaft so as to engage internal threads of a pedicle screw, thereby causing the distal end of the shaft to translate in the anchor seat and urge the pedicle screw to transition from an unlocked configuration to a locked configuration. The attachment assembly has an arm that supports the patient reference array, and a coupler supported by the arm. The coupler has a fixation body that defines a recess that receives at least a portion of the fixation post, and an actuator that secures the attachment assembly to the fixation post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: James Murray, Marc Puls, Daniel Thommen, Jörn Richter, Nicholas Pavento
  • Publication number: 20200315711
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for trajectory guidance using instrument position data and planned trajectories into or through a patient's body or an object. Lasers are emitted from a laser system toward the patient's body or object at an area within or proximate to the instrument operator's line of sight. Information about the instrument, including the position of its proximal and distal ends, and the position of the patient's body or object, are used to direct the emission of the lasers in real-time during operation of the instrument. The emitted lasers function as visual cues indicating the manner in which to position the distal and proximal ends of the instrument to properly align with the planned trajectory. A guidance map on the instrument can be used to output visual cues about the position of the distal and proximal ends of the instrument relative to a planned trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Medos International Sarl
    Inventors: Joern Richter, Marc Puls, Thomas Gamache
  • Publication number: 20200253554
    Abstract: Non-invasive tracking methods and devices are provided that are configured to track at least one selectable internal element within a patient, such as a vertebra, relative to an external point outside of the patient's body, such as a reference point within an operating room. For example, in one embodiment, a patch is provided and is configured to be removably attached to skin of a patient, and to track a distance relative to the patch of at least one selectable element within a patient. The patch can also be configured to be tracked by an external monitoring system that tracks its orientation and location relative to the monitoring system, thereby indicating a position of a vertebra.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Steffen Schumann, Marc Puls
  • Publication number: 20180279913
    Abstract: Accuracy enhancing systems, devices and methods are provided using data obtained from inertial measurement units (IMUs). IMUs are provided on one or more of a patient, surgical table, surgical instruments, imaging devices, navigation systems, and the like. Data from sensors in each IMU is collected and used to calculate absolute and relative positions of the patient, surgical table, surgical instruments, imaging devices, and navigation systems on which the IMUs are provided. The data generated by the IMUs can be coupled with medical images and camera vision, among other information, to generate and/or provide surgical navigation, alignment of imaging systems, pre-operative diagnoses and plans, intra-operative tool guidance and error correction, and post-operative assessments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: William Frasier, Dennis Chien, Marc Puls, Mark Hall