This study describes a mechanical tool which allows us to determine the radius and center of curved joint surfaces both intraoperatively and in vitro. The tool is composed of longitudinal parallel hinges, connected with cross bars on one end. In the middle of each cross bar, one needle is attached at an angle of to both the hinges and the cross bars. When the parallel hinges are held against a curved surface, they will adapt to the curvature and the needles on the cross bars will cross each other. The crossing point of two needles represents the mean center of the curvature within the plane spanned by the needles. The radius is the distance between the center of curvature and the joint surface. The proposed tool and method allow us to determine the mean center of convex or concave curvatures, which often represent the isometric point of a corresponding curved joint surface. Knowing the radius and center of curvature may facilitate various surgical procedures such as collateral or cruciate ligament reconstruction. Appropriate adaptations of the tool appear to be a useful basis for biomechanical and anatomical joint analyses in the laboratory.
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June 2007
Technical Briefs
A New Methodology to Determine the Anatomical Center and Radius of Curved Joint Surfaces
Dominik C. Meyer,
Dominik C. Meyer
Department of Orthopaedics,
e-mail: dominik.meyer@balgrist.ch
University of Zürich
, Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
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Norman Espinosa,
Norman Espinosa
Department of Orthopaedics,
University of Zürich
, Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
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Urs Lang,
Urs Lang
Department of Mathematics,
ETH Zentrum
, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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Peter P. Koch
Peter P. Koch
Department of Orthopaedics,
University of Zürich
, Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
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Dominik C. Meyer
Department of Orthopaedics,
University of Zürich
, Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerlande-mail: dominik.meyer@balgrist.ch
Norman Espinosa
Department of Orthopaedics,
University of Zürich
, Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland
Urs Lang
Department of Mathematics,
ETH Zentrum
, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
Peter P. Koch
Department of Orthopaedics,
University of Zürich
, Balgrist, Forchstr. 340, 8008 Zürich, SwitzerlandJ. Med. Devices. Jun 2007, 1(2): 173-175 (3 pages)
Published Online: August 27, 2006
Article history
Received:
January 13, 2006
Revised:
August 27, 2006
Citation
Meyer, D. C., Espinosa, N., Lang, U., and Koch, P. P. (August 27, 2006). "A New Methodology to Determine the Anatomical Center and Radius of Curved Joint Surfaces." ASME. J. Med. Devices. June 2007; 1(2): 173–175. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2735973
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