A Computer Assisted Orthopaedic System for Distal Locking of Intramedullary Nails

The CAOS system aims to assist the orthopaedic surgeon in performing intramedullary nail locking, through the introduction of suitable technology into the operating theatre environment. The system comprises three components, the Smart Image Intensifier, Trajectory Tactician and Intelligent Drill Guide. The Trajectory Tactician is tailored to the requirements of intramedullary nail locking. The method requires the capture of two distortion free x-ray images that are processed, extracting both the projections of the nail edge boundaries and the projections of the distal locking holes. Mathematical modelling determines the position and orientation of the nail, which can be confirmed by semi-automatic positioning of the Smart Image Intensifier to achieve a perfect circle projection of the selected distal locking hole. The trajectory is then implemented using the Intelligent Drill Guide. 1. Introduction The CAOS (Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Systems) group, a joint venture between the Un..