Patient-Specific Acetabular Guide for Precise Cup Orientation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current custom-made, patient-specific orthopedic implants and guides face challenges in accurately positioning acetabular implants within the acetabulum due to variability in patient anatomy, particularly in achieving precise anteversion and abduction angles during orthopedic procedures.

Innovation Solution

A patient-specific acetabular guide and inserter system is developed, featuring a guide with a cylindrical inner surface oriented at selected anteversion and abduction angles, conforming to the acetabular rim surface, and an inserter with a guide-engaging portion that aligns and secures the acetabular cup at these specific angles, facilitating precise implantation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a patient-specific guide conforming to the acetabular rim surface is used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patient-specific guide is designed and manufactured before surgery based on pre-operative imaging data (CT or MRI scans). The guide incorporates the patient's unique acetabular rim surface geometry, allowing it to conform precisely to the patient's anatomy during surgery. This preliminary customization enables accurate positioning without requiring complex intraoperative adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide creates a physical copy or replica of the patient's acetabular rim surface geometry through additive manufacturing or CNC machining based on digital models from pre-operative scans. This copied geometry allows the guide to match the patient's unique anatomy, achieving high positioning accuracy while using standard manufacturing processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Manufacturing precision

If custom-made patient-specific guides are manufactured, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoidease of manufacture
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The guide design incorporates adjustable parameters such as anteversion angle and abduction angle that can be modified based on surgical requirements. These angular parameters are integrated into the guide's cylindrical bore orientation, allowing precise control of implant positioning while using standard manufacturing processes for the overall guide structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The guide serves multiple functions: it conforms to the patient's unique acetabular rim surface for positioning, incorporates angled bores for guide wire insertion, and provides reference features for implant alignment. This multi-functionality is achieved through integrated design rather than separate components, simplifying the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2403437B1Patient-specific acetabular guide and method
Publication Date: 2017.06.21 BIOMET MFG LLC
  • EP2403437B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2403437B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~2
  • EP2403437B1 patent drawingFigure 3~3B

AI summary

An acetabular system includes an acetabular guide having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface made to conform to an acetabular rim surface around an acetabulum of a patient in accordance with a three-dimensional image of the acetabulum of the patient. The acetabular guide includes an aperture having an inner surface oriented at selected anteversion and abduction angles relative to the first surface for guiding an acetabular implant into the acetabulum at the selected anteversion and abduction angles.