Granted Patent B2

US 12,472,010 · App. 18/635,576 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Inventors: Fadi Ghanam (Schallstadt, DE); Jochen Breisacher (Teningen, DE); Florian Herrmann (Schwanau, DE); Emeric Umbdenstock (Freiburg, DE); Reinhold Zimmermann (Freiburg, DE); Gerd Ulrich Gamm (Freiburg, DE)

Assignee: Stryker European Operations Holdings LLC

A61B34/20A61B10/0233A61B2034/2055A61B2034/2057A61B2034/2072

Abstract

Claims (30)

1 . A tracker for a surgical navigation system, the tracker comprising:

a carrier; and

an electrical circuit disposed on the carrier, wherein the electrical circuit comprises:

at least one infrared light emitting diode, IR-LED;

a battery or a wireless power reception device configured to receive power wirelessly, wherein the battery or the wireless power reception device is configured to provide power to operate the at least one IR-LED; and

at least one one-time use switch configured to electrically close at least one portion of the electrical circuit, wherein the at least one one-time use switch is operable exactly once to close the at least one portion of the electrical circuit.

2 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the tracker is configured for continuous or quasi-continuous operation of at least one of the at least one IR-LED.

3 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit is configured to limit a radiant intensity of at least one of the at least one IR-LED to not exceed 40 μ W/sr.

4 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the battery is a button cell.

5 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the tracker comprises a plurality of IR-LEDs and a distance between at least two of the plurality of IR-LEDs is smaller than 40 mm.

6 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of arms and the tracker comprises a plurality of IR-LEDs, wherein at least one IR-LED is arranged on at least one arm.

7 . The tracker according to claim 1 , further comprising an interface that is configured for coupling the tracker to a surgical instrument or to a patient.

8 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the tracker comprises a plurality of IR-LEDs and the tracker is configured to operate at least two of the plurality of the IR-LEDs simultaneously.

9 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the weight of the tracker does not exceed 35 g.

10 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit is configured to limit a current for at least one of the at least one IR-LED to not exceed 15 mA.

11 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the tracker is a disposable item.

12 . The tracker according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuit comprises at least one resistor configured to limit the current for at least one of the at least one IR-LED.

13 . The tracker according to claim 12 , wherein the current for the at least one of the at least one IR-LED is limited by an internal electrical resistance of the at least one of the at least one IR-LED and an electrical resistance of the at least one resistor electrically connected in series to the at least one of the at least one IR-LED.

14 . A tracker system comprising:

a surgical instrument; and

a tracker attached to the surgical instrument, the tracker comprising a carrier and an electrical circuit disposed on the carrier, wherein the electrical circuit comprises:

at least one infrared light emitting diode, IR-LED;

a battery or a wireless power reception device configured to receive power wirelessly, wherein the battery or the wireless power reception device is configured to provide power to operate the at least one IR-LED; and

at least one one-time use switch configured to electrically close at least one portion of the electrical circuit, wherein the at least one one-time use switch is operable exactly once to close the at least one portion of the electrical circuit.

15 . The tracker system according to claim 14 , wherein the tracker is attached to a shaft of the surgical instrument.

16 . The tracker system of claim 14 , further comprising a camera capable of detecting light of the at least one IR-LED and of generating a camera signal indicative of the detected light.

17 . The tracker system according to claim 16 , further comprising a processor capable of receiving the camera signal and at least one of registering and tracking the tracker based on the received camera signal.

18 . The tracker system according to claim 16 , wherein the camera comprises at least one two-dimensional image sensor.

19 . The tracker system according to claim 16 , wherein the camera comprises at least one lens for focusing the infrared light emitted by the at least one IR-LED.

20 . A method of operating a tracker, wherein the tracker comprises a carrier and an electrical circuit disposed on the carrier, wherein the electrical circuit comprises at least one infrared light emitting diode, IR-LED, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises a battery or a wireless power reception device configured to receive power wirelessly, and wherein the electrical circuit further comprises at least one one-time use switch configured to electrically close at least one portion of the electrical circuit, wherein the at least one one-time use switch is operable exactly once to close the at least one portion of the electrical circuit, the method comprising operating the at least one one-time use switch exactly once to close the at least one portion of the electrical circuit.

Assignments (4)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (35)