Patents by Inventor Nicholas van der Walt

Nicholas van der Walt 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).

  • Patent number: 10918499
    Abstract: Hip joint navigation systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein determine a table reference plane that approximates the Anterior Pelvic Plane. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein measure a pre-operative and post-operative point. In some embodiments, the comparison of the pre-operative and post-operative point corresponds to changes in leg length and joint offset. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein determine an Adjusted Plane. In some embodiments, the Adjusted Plane adjusts for tilt by rotating the Anterior Pelvic Plane about the inter-ASIS line. In some embodiments, the Adjusted Plane improves correlation between navigated cup angles and post-operative images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Nielsen, John Matthews, Nicholas van der Walt
  • Patent number: 10869771
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device, a reference sensor device, and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device, reference sensor device, and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, or otherwise to assist in an orthopedic procedure(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Charles Shapiro, Richard Lane, Matt Ryan
  • Patent number: 10864019
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, to distract a joint, or to otherwise assist in an orthopedic procedure or procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Santiago P. Borja
  • Publication number: 20200352654
    Abstract: In another embodiment, a hip joint navigation jig is provided that includes an anatomical interface comprising a bone engagement portion. A registration jig is also provided that is coupled, e.g., removeably, with the anatomical interface. A rotatable member is provided for rotation about an axis that is not vertical when the jig is mounted to the bone adjacent to a hip joint and the registration jig is coupled with the anatomical interface. An anatomy engaging probe is coupled with the rotatable member for rotation about the axis and is translatable to enable the probe to be brought into contact with a plurality of anatomical landmarks during a procedure. An inertial sensor is coupled with the probe to indicate orientation related to the landmarks, the sensor being disposed in a different orientation relative to horizontal when the probe is in contact with the landmarks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Matthew Ryan, Jonathan Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10716580
    Abstract: The present invention provides, in certain embodiments, a device for positioning and orienting the femoral cutting block. The present invention also provides a device for setting rotation of sagittal resection for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. The present invention further provides methods for setting the rotation of the tibial implant by kinematic measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Berend, Jonathan Nielsen, Nicholas van der Walt, Scott Richard Small
  • Publication number: 20200197107
    Abstract: Described here are self-contained surgical navigation systems which include a head-worn display device to be worn by a user during surgery. The system includes a display generator for generating a visual display on the display device, and a sensor suite having at least one tracking camera. The system further includes a support module including: a user-replaceable, modular battery that is reversibly insertable into a housing of the support module, and a processor unit configured to receive data from the sensor suite and calculate a position and an orientation of at least one marker. The support module is electrically coupled to the head-worn display device to provide power and data to the head-worn display device. The display device and the support module together comprise the entire sensing and computing capability of the system, without requiring external sensors, cameras, computers, or other electrical equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew William Ryan, Andrew Philip Hartman, Nicholas van der Walt, Jonathan Kirk Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10603115
    Abstract: In another embodiment, a hip joint navigation jig is provided that includes an anatomical interface comprising a bone engagement portion. A registration jig is also provided that is coupled, e.g., removeably, with the anatomical interface. A rotatable member is provided for rotation about an axis that is not vertical when the jig is mounted to the bone adjacent to a hip joint and the registration jig is coupled with the anatomical interface. An anatomy engaging probe is coupled with the rotatable member for rotation about the axis and is translatable to enable the probe to be brought into contact with a plurality of anatomical landmarks during a procedure. An inertial sensor is coupled with the probe to indicate orientation related to the landmarks, the sensor being disposed in a different orientation relative to horizontal when the probe is in contact with the landmarks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Matthew Ryan, Jonathan Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20190350728
    Abstract: A hip joint navigation system is provided that includes a base having at least one channel disposed therethrough for receiving a pin for mounting the base to the pelvis. A mount feature is disposed on a top surface. A registration jig is configured to couple with the base and to engage anatomical landmarks. In some aspects, a patient specific jig system for hip replacement is provided including an engagement surface formed to closely mate to acetabular bone contours of a specific patient and a registration feature configured to be in a pre-determined orientation relative to an acetabulum the patient when the jig is coupled with acetabular bone contours of the specific patient. In other aspects, methods of using the systems are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Jonathan Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20190328549
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device, a reference sensor device, and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device, reference sensor device, and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, or otherwise to assist in an orthopedic procedure(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Charles Shapiro, Richard Lane, Matt Ryan
  • Patent number: 10398514
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mixed reality surgical navigation system (10) to be worn by a user (106) during a surgical procedure comprising: a display device (104), to be worn by a user (106) during a surgical procedure, comprising a processor unit (102), a display generator (204), a sensor suite (210) having at least one camera (206) or depth sensor wherein the processing unit (102) creates a reference surface map (5804) of an exposed surface (5806) of an anatomical object (4204) with data received from the sensor suite (210); the processing unit (102) establishes a reference frame (5810) relative to the sensor suite (210) for the reference surface map (5804); orientation of the reference frame (5810) is established by creating additional surface maps (5834) of other anatomical features (5824) of the anatomical object (4204); the processing unit (102) tracks a pose of the anatomical object (4204) relative to the system (10) by creating a displaced surface map (5814) of the exposed surface (5806) and rot
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Insight Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew William Ryan, Andrew Philip Hartman, Nicholas van der Walt, David Jacob Mayman
  • Publication number: 20190254715
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, to distract a joint, or to otherwise assist in an orthopedic procedure or procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Santiago P. Borja
  • Patent number: 10363149
    Abstract: A hip joint navigation system is provided that includes a base having at least one channel disposed therethrough for receiving a pin for mounting the base to the pelvis. A mount feature is disposed on a top surface. A registration jig is configured to couple with the base and to engage anatomical landmarks. In some aspects, a patient specific jig system for hip replacement is provided including an engagement surface formed to closely mate to acetabular bone contours of a specific patient and a registration feature configured to be in a pre-determined orientation relative to an acetabulum of the patient when the jig is coupled with acetabular bone contours of the specific patient. In other aspects, methods of using the systems are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Jonathan Nielsen
  • Patent number: 10238510
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device, a reference sensor device, and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device, reference sensor device, and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, or otherwise to assist in an orthopedic procedure(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Charles Shapiro, Richard Lane, Matt Ryan
  • Patent number: 10206714
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, to distract a joint, or to otherwise assist in an orthopedic procedure or procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: OrthAlign, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Santiago P. Borja
  • Publication number: 20180296365
    Abstract: Hip joint navigation systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein determine a table reference plane that approximates the Anterior Pelvic Plane. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein measure a pre-operative and post-operative point. In some embodiments, the comparison of the pre-operative and post-operative point corresponds to changes in leg length and joint offset. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein determine an Adjusted Plane. In some embodiments, the Adjusted Plane adjusts for tilt by rotating the Anterior Pelvic Plane about the inter-ASIS line. In some embodiments, the Adjusted Plane improves correlation between navigated cup angles and post-operative images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Jonathan Nielsen, John Matthews, Nicholas van der Walt
  • Publication number: 20180206860
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spinal alignment system comprising at least one vertebral coupler, at least one reference device and a surgical orientation device. The present invention further provides methods using the spinal alignment system to assist in alignment of the spine during a surgical procedure to correct a deformity due to trauma or degeneration. The present invention also provides a pedicle screw navigation system comprising of a pedicle screw navigator, a first reference device, a second reference device and a surgical orientation device. The present invention provides methods using the pedicle screw navigation system to assist in determining the proper orientation of a pedicle screw during spinal surgery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Jonathan Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20180193171
    Abstract: A hip joint navigation system is provided that includes a base having at least one channel disposed therethrough for receiving a pin for mounting the base to the pelvis. A mount feature is disposed on a top surface. A registration jig is configured to couple with the base and to engage anatomical landmarks. In some aspects, a patient specific jig system for hip replacement is provided including an engagement surface formed to closely mate to acetabular bone contours of a specific patient and a registration feature configured to be in a pre-determined orientation relative to an acetabulum the patient when the jig is coupled with acetabular bone contours of the specific patient. In other aspects, methods of using the systems are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Jonathan Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20180168740
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mixed reality surgical navigation system (10) to be worn by a user (106) during a surgical procedure comprising: a display device (104), to be worn by a user (106) during a surgical procedure, comprising a processor unit (102), a display generator (204), a sensor suite (210) having at least one camera (206) or depth sensor wherein the processing unit (102) creates a reference surface map (5804) of an exposed surface (5806) of an anatomical object (4204) with data received from the sensor suite (210); the processing unit (102) establishes a reference frame (5810) relative to the sensor suite (210) for the reference surface map (5804); orientation of the reference frame (5810) is established by creating additional surface maps (5834) of other anatomical features (5824) of the anatomical object (4204); the processing unit (102) tracks a pose of the anatomical object (4204) relative to the system (10) by creating a displaced surface map (5814) of the exposed surface (5806) and rot
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew William Ryan, Andrew Philip Hartman, Nicholas van der Walt, David Jacob Mayman
  • Publication number: 20180168826
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device, a reference sensor device, and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device, reference sensor device, and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, or otherwise to assist in an orthopedic procedure(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Charles Shapiro, Richard Lane, Matt Ryan
  • Publication number: 20180153587
    Abstract: Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, to distract a joint, or to otherwise assist in an orthopedic procedure or procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Nicholas van der Walt, Santiago P. Borja