Image-guided technology for articular cartilage reconstruction

该项目将开发生物医学技术，通过该技术可以最佳地重建人体关节中的软骨表面，以修复关节中的局部缺陷。这项工作有可能降低手术干预的成本，提供早期治疗，减少或延迟全关节置换的需要，增加患者的健康和生活质量，并改善治疗结果。关节软骨表面用称为“马赛克成形术”的外科手术重建，该手术涉及转移小，从关节的非承重表面到缺损位置的骨和软骨的圆柱形塞。根据缺损的大小和重建表面的期望形状，可以使用多个塞子来覆盖软骨缺损。目前的手术没有任何计算机计划或指导，只使用最少的关节成像数据。技术将被开发，以改善从检测到手术的治疗的各个方面。将开发新的方法：使用MRI和关节镜探针检测和模拟有缺陷的软骨，确定理想的重建软骨形状;通过确定要使用的骨塞的最佳配置来规划最佳的镶嵌成形术;开发用于骨塞切割和放置的新手术工具;并在手术室提供计算机辅助工具指导。本项目将培训7名硕士生，2名博士生，以及计算机辅助手术和关节生物力学领域的软件工程师。三家加拿大公司将密切参与这项研究，并将直接受益于该项目产生的技术：将与Canica Design公司一起开发专门的外科手术工具，将为拉瓦尔的BioSyntech公司制造的关节镜探针建立渥太华工具跟踪技术;新的手术界面将被纳入iGO Technologies，Inc，金斯顿的手术引导软件中。

This project will develop biomedical technology by which cartilage surfaces in human joints can be optimally reconstructed to repair localized defects in the joint. This work has the potential to reduce the cost of surgical intervention, provide earlier treatment, reduce or delay the need for total joint replacement, increase patient health and quality of life, and improve treatment outcomes.The joint cartilage surface is reconstructed with a surgical procedure known as "mosaicplasty", which involves the transfer of small, cylindrical plugs of bone and cartilage from the non-weight-bearing surface of the joint to the location of the defect. A number of plugs may be used to cover the cartilage defect, depending upon the defect size and the desired shape of the reconstructed surface. The procedure is currently done without any computer planning or guidance, and with only minimal use of joint imaging data.Technology will be developed to improve all aspects of treatment, from detection to surgery. New methods will be developed to: detect and model defective cartilage using MRI and using an arthroscopic probe determine the ideal, reconstructed cartilage shape; plan an optimal mosaicplasty surgery by determining an optimal configuration of bone plugs to use; develop new surgical tools for plug cutting and placement; and provide computer-assisted tool guidance in the operating room.This project will train seven MSc students, two PhD students, and a software engineer in the areas of computer-assisted surgery and joint biomechanics. There is a critical shortage in Canada of highly-qualified people in these areas.Three Canadian companies will be closely involved with the research and will benefit directly from technologies generated by the project: specialized surgical tools will be developed with Canica Design, Ottawa tool tracking technology will be built for an arthroscopic probe made by BioSyntech, Inc, Laval; and new surgical interfaces will be incorporated in the surgical guidance software of iGO Technologies, Inc, Kingston.