Orthopaedic implant with sensors
A monitoring system includes: (1) an implant having at least one sensor and configured for at least partial insertion into a patient, a first one of sensors being in contact with a perimeter of a hole in a body portion of the implant for accepting a fastener; (2) a microchip associated with the implant and the sensor, the microchip configured to receive at least a first signal from the sensor; (3) a transmitter associated with the microchip for transmitting a second signal, representative of the first signal; (4) a receiver located outside of the patient, the receiver configured receive the transmitted second signal; and (5) a display device associated with the receiver, the display device configured to provide an audible or visual representation of the second signal to a user.
1. A method of mending a broken bone, comprising:
affixing a bone fixation implant to first and second portions of the broken bone using a plurality of fasteners, the implant including a microchip and a plurality of sensors arranged on the implant and connected to the microchip, a first one of the sensors being in contact with a perimeter of a hole in a body portion of the implant for accepting a fastener;
collecting data from the sensors by the microchip; and
transmitting the data from the microchip to an external receiving device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is a thermocouple.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is a pressure transducer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is a strain gauge.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is a digital imaging element.
6. A monitoring system comprising:
an implant having at least one sensor and configured for at least partial insertion into a patient, a first one of sensors being in contact with a perimeter of a hole in a body portion of the implant for accepting a fastener;
a microchip associated with the implant and the sensor, the microchip configured to receive at least a first signal from the sensor;
a transmitter associated with the microchip for transmitting a second signal, representative of the first signal;
a receiver located outside of the patient, the receiver configured receive the transmitted second signal; and
a display device associated with the receiver, the display device configured to provide an audible or visual representation of the second signal to a user.
7. The monitoring system of claim 6 , wherein the microchip further comprises a data logger.
8. The monitoring system of claim 6 , wherein the display device is further configured to continuously record the transmitted second signal.
9. The monitoring system of claim 6 , wherein the implant is a bone plate.
10. The monitoring system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured and adapted to receive a strain from at least a portion of the implant.
11. The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the at least one sensor is configured and adapted to receive a pressure applied to at least a portion of the implant.
12. The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein the at least one sensor is configured and adapted to receive a temperature of at least a portion of the implant.
13. The monitoring system of claim 6 , wherein the implant further comprises a compartment for holding a therapeutic agent for release in response to a signal received by the microchip.