US 12,491,032 B2
Knee arthroplasty method
Franz W. Kellar, Gastonia, NC (US); Harold L. Crowder, Concord, NC (US); and Franz Austen Kellar, Gastonia, NC (US)
Assigned to DYNAMIC BALANCER SYSTEMS LLC, Belmont, NC (US)
Filed by Dynamic Balancer Systems LLC, Belmont, NC (US)
Filed on May 19, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/212,523.
Application 19/212,523 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/933,463, filed on Oct. 31, 2024, granted, now 12,303,405.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/595,238, filed on Nov. 1, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0275809 A1, Sep. 4, 2025
Int. Cl. A61B 34/10 (2016.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/11 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); G16H 10/60 (2018.01); G16H 50/70 (2018.01)
CPC A61B 34/10 (2016.02) [A61B 5/1127 (2013.01); A61B 5/4533 (2013.01); A61B 5/4585 (2013.01); A61B 5/742 (2013.01); A61B 34/25 (2016.02); A61B 90/06 (2016.02); A61B 90/39 (2016.02); G16H 10/60 (2018.01); G16H 50/70 (2018.01); A61B 2034/104 (2016.02); A61B 2034/105 (2016.02); A61B 2034/108 (2016.02); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3916 (2016.02)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of evaluating a human knee joint which includes a femur bone, a tibia bone, and ligaments, wherein the ligaments are under anatomical tension to connect the bones together, the method comprising:
inserting into the knee joint a tensioner-balancer that includes:
a femoral interface surface and a tibial interface surface; and
a means of applying a distraction force to the knee joint;
moving the knee joint to one or more positions within at least a portion of its range of motion;
using the tensioner-balancer to maintain a predetermined distraction load range or a predetermined distraction height range, and collecting distraction height data and distraction force data of the femur bone relative to the tibia bone from at least one sensor;
deriving ligament displacement data and load data from the distraction height data and distraction force data of the femur bone relative to the tibia bone;
processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of the knee joint, wherein the model includes a ligament force versus ligament displacement characterization curve for each of a plurality of flexion angles of the femur bone relative to the tibia bone;
using a software application, evaluating the digital geometric model of the knee;
using the software application, selecting a portion of the characterization curve that represents a predetermined desired level of ligament tautness, based on the evaluation; and
storing the digital geometric model for further use.