Patient-Specific Acetabular Alignment Device for Hip Dysplasia Osteotomy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Periacetabular osteotomy, a surgical procedure for treating hip dysplasia, requires high surgical specialization and is prone to human error due to its complexity, particularly in the alignment phase, leading to a long learning curve and increased risk of incorrect alignment.
Innovation Solution
A patient-specific alignment device comprising a patient-specific acetabular unit, iliac unit, and bridge, designed to be fixed univocally to the iliac bone, with constraint means ensuring correct positioning and minimizing the risk of human error through precise, rigid connections and snap mechanisms, facilitating the re-alignment of the acetabulum to a bio-mechanically correct position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If periacetabular osteotomy is performed using traditional manual alignment techniques, then the surgeon can realign the acetabulum, but the procedure requires high surgical specialization and has a long learning curve due to complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Patient-specific alignment devices are designed and manufactured before surgery based on preoperative imaging and planning. The devices incorporate patient-specific anatomical surface geometry and predefined alignment parameters, allowing the surgeon to simply attach the device to the bone and achieve correct alignment without requiring extensive manual alignment skills or experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient-specific alignment device acts as an intermediary between the preoperative planning data and the actual osteotomy procedure. It translates complex 3D planning information into a simple physical guide that automatically ensures correct alignment, serving as a mediator that eliminates the need for surgeons to manually interpret and execute complex alignment calculations during surgery.
2Reliability
If traditional manual alignment techniques are used during periacetabular osteotomy, then the surgeon can perform the procedure, but there is a high risk of human error in the alignment phase
Solution Approach 1:
The patient-specific alignment device is designed to be self-aligning through precise fitting to patient-specific anatomical surfaces. The device automatically positions itself correctly on the bone based on unique anatomical landmarks, eliminating the need for the surgeon to manually adjust or estimate the correct position, thereby removing the element of human error from the alignment process.
Solution Approach 2:
All alignment calculations and positioning decisions are made in advance during preoperative planning and device design. The device is manufactured with predefined alignment parameters already incorporated, so during surgery it simply executes the pre-determined correct alignment without requiring real-time surgical judgment or manual adjustment that could introduce errors.
3Productivity
If traditional periacetabular osteotomy procedures are performed without specialized alignment devices, then the surgery can be completed, but operating times are extended due to the complexity of the alignment phase
Solution Approach 1:
Complex alignment planning and calculations are performed before surgery during the device design phase. The patient-specific alignment device is manufactured with all alignment information pre-programmed into its physical structure, allowing the surgeon to skip the time-consuming manual measurement, calculation, and adjustment steps during surgery and simply attach the pre-configured device to achieve correct alignment immediately.
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations include an alignment device for carrying out a periacetabular osteotomy operation on a patient that includesa patient-specific acetabular unit, to be fixed in a univocal position on the iliac bone, in proximity of the acetabulum;a patient-specific iliac unit, to be fixed in a univocal position on the iliac bone, in a lateral position with respect to the acetabular unit; anda patient-specific bridge, to be connected in a rigid and univocal manner to the acetabular unit and to the iliac unit.The acetabular unit and the iliac unit assume a first mutual position incompatible with the bridge. When osteotomy is carried out and the bridge is connected to the acetabular unit and the iliac unit, they assume a second position, different from the first position and corresponding to a bio-mechanically correct position of the acetabulum with respect to the remaining portion of the iliac bone.