Abstract: There is described a conveyor-type device comprising: a carriage slidably moveable along a conveyance path and defining a first channel therein; and two loops disposed on opposite sides of the path and rotatable in response to a movement of the carriage along the path to adjust the length of a second channel, the loops being configured to: rotatably engage with one another downstream from the carriage to extend the second channel as the carriage moves towards an end of the conveyance path; and rotatably disengage from one another upstream from the carriage to shorten the second channel as the carriage moves towards a beginning of the conveyance path, wherein the first channel and second channel are aligned for receiving an elongated body therein.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system comprises a cup implanting device including a shaft having a tooling end and a handle end with a handle for being manipulated, the shaft having a longitudinal axis, the tooling end adapted to support a cup for being received in an acetabulum of a patient, and a rotation indicator having a visual guide representative of a device plane, wherein the device plane is in a known position and orientation relative to a center of the cup on the tooling end.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery system has inertial sensor unit connected to an instrument and producing readings representative of its orientation. A computer-assisted surgery processor unit has a coordinate system module for setting a pelvic coordinate system from readings of the inertial sensor unit when the instrument is in a given orientation relative to the pelvis, a tracking module for tracking an orientation of the instrument relative to the pelvic coordinate system during movements thereof and a geometrical relation data module for recording preoperatively a landmark orientation relative to the pelvic coordinate system and a distance when the at least one instrument has a first end abutted to a pelvic landmark and a second end abutted to a leg landmark, for recording after implant rejointing the medio-lateral orientation and the distance, and for calculating a leg length discrepancy and/or an offset, based on the distances and the medio-lateral orientations.

Abstract: A method for assisting in positioning the acetabular cup comprises orienting a cup positioning instrument with a cup thereon in an initial reference orientation relative to an acetabulum of a pelvis with the cup forming a joint with the acetabulum, the cup positioning instrument comprising an inertial sensor unit with pre-planned orientation data for a desired cup orientation based on at least one landmark of the pelvis, The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired abduction angle as guided by an interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to at least one landmark. The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired anteversion angle as guided by the interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to the at least one landmark. Upon reaching the desired cup orientation as indicated by the interface, the cup is impacted into the acetabulum.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system comprises a cup implanting device including a shaft having a tooling end and a handle end with a handle for being manipulated, the shaft having a longitudinal axis, the tooling end adapted to support a cup for being received in an acetabulum of a patient, and a rotation indicator having a visual guide representative of a device plane, wherein the device plane is in a known position and orientation relative to a center of the cup on the tooling end.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system comprises a cup implanting device including a shaft having a tooling end and a handle end with a handle for being manipulated, the shaft having a longitudinal axis, the tooling end adapted to support a cup for being received in an acetabulum of a patient, and a rotation indicator having a visual guide representative of a device plane, wherein the device plane is in a known position and orientation relative to a center of the cup on the tooling end.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system for navigating a surface of an anatomical feature in a coordinate system comprises an apparatus for obtaining points of a surface of an anatomical feature including a base adapted to be secured to the anatomical feature, a spherical joint supported by the base, the spherical joint having a ball member rotatable in at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the base and having a center of rotation fixed relative to the base, a distance-measurement device connected to the ball member such that a distance-measurement axis of the distance-measurement device passes through said center of rotation of the ball member. An inertial sensor unit produces signals representative of the orientation of the distance-measurement device.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery system for outputting at least one of a leg length discrepancy and an offset between a preoperative leg condition and a post-implant rejointing leg condition comprises instruments. An inertial sensor unit is connected to one of the instrument, the inertial sensor unit producing readings representative of its orientation.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system outputs a leg length discrepancy and/or an offset between conditions. An inertial sensor unit is connected to an instrument(s) to produce readings representative of its orientation. A CAS processor unit has a coordinate system module for setting a pelvic coordinate system from readings of the inertial sensor unit, a tracking module for tracking an orientation of the instrument(s) relative to the pelvic coordinate system during movements thereof, and a geometrical relation data module for recording preoperatively a medio-lateral orientation of the instrument(s) representative of a medio-lateral axis of the legs and a distance between the legs, for recording after implant rejointing the medio-lateral orientation and the distance, and for calculating a leg length discrepancy and/or an offset, based on the distances and the medio-lateral orientations. An interface outputs the leg length discrepancy and/or the offset between leg conditions.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) navigation assembly comprises a micro-electromechanical sensor (MEMS) navigation unit having one or more MEMS to provide at least orientation data. A support receives the MEMS navigation unit therein, the support being adapted to be mounted on the instrument in a fixed orientation relative to established navigated features of the instrument. At least two mating ball-in-socket features are disposed between the MEMS navigation unit and the support at opposed ends thereof for releasably engaging the MEMS navigation unit in precise orientational alignment within the receptacle, the at least two mating ball-in-socket features comprising catches aligned along an axis extending between the opposed ends, at least one of the catches being a biased catch. A method of connecting a MEMS navigation unit with a mating support fixed to a CAS instrument navigated by the CAS system is also provided.

Abstract: A method for assisting in positioning the acetabular cup comprises orienting a cup positioning instrument with a cup thereon in an initial reference orientation relative to an acetabulum of a pelvis with the cup forming a joint with the acetabulum, the cup positioning instrument comprising an inertial sensor unit with pre-planned orientation data for a desired cup orientation based on at least one landmark of the pelvis, The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired abduction angle as guided by an interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to at least one landmark. The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired anteversion angle as guided by the interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to the at least one landmark. Upon reaching the desired cup orientation as indicated by the interface, the cup is impacted into the acetabulum.

Abstract: A method for assisting in positioning the acetabular cup comprises orienting a cup positioning instrument with a cup thereon in an initial reference orientation relative to an acetabulum of a pelvis with the cup forming a joint with the acetabulum, the cup positioning instrument comprising an inertial sensor unit with pre-planned orientation data for a desired cup orientation based on at least one landmark of the pelvis, The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired abduction angle as guided by an interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to at least one landmark. The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired anteversion angle as guided by the interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to the at least one landmark. Upon reaching the desired cup orientation as indicated by the interface, the cup is impacted into the acetabulum.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) navigation assembly comprises a micro-electromechanical sensor (MEMS) navigation unit having one or more MEMS to provide at least orientation data. A support receives the MEMS navigation unit therein, the support being adapted to be mounted on the instrument in a fixed orientation relative to established navigated features of the instrument. At least two mating ball-in-socket features are disposed between the MEMS navigation unit and the support at opposed ends thereof for releasably engaging the MEMS navigation unit in precise orientational alignment within the receptacle, the at least two mating ball-in-socket features comprising catches aligned along an axis extending between the opposed ends, at least one of the catches being a biased catch. A method of connecting a MEMS navigation unit with a mating support fixed to a CAS instrument navigated by the CAS system is also provided.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) navigation assembly comprises a micro-electromechanical sensor (MEMS) navigation unit having one or more MEMS to provide at least orientation data. A support receives the MEMS navigation unit therein, the support being adapted to be mounted on the instrument in a fixed orientation relative to established navigated features of the instrument. At least two mating ball-in-socket features are disposed between the MEMS navigation unit and the support at opposed ends thereof for releasably engaging the MEMS navigation unit in precise orientational alignment within the receptacle, the at least two mating ball-in-socket features comprising catches aligned along an axis extending between the opposed ends, at least one of the catches being a biased catch. A method of connecting a MEMS navigation unit with a mating support fixed to a CAS instrument navigated by the CAS system is also provided.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system for navigating a surface of an anatomical feature in a coordinate system comprises an apparatus for obtaining points of a surface of an anatomical feature including a base adapted to be secured to the anatomical feature, a spherical joint supported by the base, the spherical joint having a ball member rotatable in at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the base and having a center of rotation fixed relative to the base, a distance-measurement device connected to the ball member such that a distance-measurement axis of the distance-measurement device passes through said center of rotation of the ball member. An inertial sensor unit produces signals representative of the orientation of the distance-measurement device.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system comprises a cup implanting device including a shaft having a tooling end and a handle end with a handle for being manipulated, the shaft having a longitudinal axis, the tooling end adapted to support a cup for being received in an acetabulum of a patient, and a rotation indicator having a visual guide representative of a device plane, wherein the device plane is in a known position and orientation relative to a center of the cup on the tooling end.

Abstract: A computer-assisted surgery system for outputting at least one of a leg length discrepancy and an offset between a preoperative leg condition and a post-implant rejointing leg condition comprises instruments. An inertial sensor unit is connected to one of the instrument, the inertial sensor unit producing readings representative of its orientation.

Abstract: A method for assisting in positioning the acetabular cup comprises orienting a cup positioning instrument with a cup thereon in an initial reference orientation relative to an acetabulum of a pelvis with the cup forming a joint with the acetabulum, the cup positioning instrument comprising an inertial sensor unit with pre-planned orientation data for a desired cup orientation based on at least one landmark of the pelvis, The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired abduction angle as guided by an interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to at least one landmark. The cup positioning instrument is rotated to a desired anteversion angle as guided by the interface of the cup positioning instrument, based on movements relative to the at least one landmark. Upon reaching the desired cup orientation as indicated by the interface, the cup is impacted into the acetabulum.

Abstract: A cable connector having a generally tubular shape with a frontal portion and a rear portion is provided. The frontal portion is on a plane perpendicular to an axis with an undivided annular structure having an outer semi-conic wing that secures the cable connector to a knock-out opening prior to a cable insertion therein and an inner receptacle structure for receiving a cable in a direction that is parallel to the axis. A rear grasping portion separated into a pivoting rigid latch segment with a tightening handle for clasping against a fixed slot segment with a releasing handle for grasping the inserted cable is also provided.

Abstract: A cable connector having a generally tubular shape with a frontal portion and a rear portion is provided. The frontal portion is on a plane perpendicular to an axis with an undivided annular structure having an outer semi-conic wing that secures the cable connector to a knock-out opening prior to a cable insertion therein and an inner receptacle structure for receiving a cable in a direction that is parallel to the axis. A rear grasping portion separated into a pivoting rigid latch segment with a tightening handle for clasping against a fixed slot segment with a releasing handle for grasping the inserted cable is also provided.