Acetabular Reaming Unit with Adjustable Arc-Shaped Burrs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical reaming tools for joint surfaces, such as the acetabulum and femoral head, are cumbersome and invasive, often requiring multiple tools and causing tissue damage due to their fixed diameters and sharp edges, leading to inefficiencies and increased risk of infection.

Innovation Solution

A unit with adjustable, slanting burrs having arc-shaped cutting blades and a ball-shaped pivot, housed in a matrix, allows for precise and minimally invasive reaming by varying the cutting diameter and ensuring controlled removal of cuttings, using a drive mechanism for rotational and linear movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional fixed-diameter reamers are used, then the reaming function is performed, but the device complexity increases due to the need for multiple tools with different diameters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereaming diameter adaptabilityVSAvoidnumber of reaming tools
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer employs adjustable cutting blades that can be positioned at different radial distances from the rotational axis, allowing the effective cutting diameter to be dynamically changed during the reaming process. This eliminates the need for multiple fixed-diameter reamers while maintaining reaming functionality across various diameter requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A single reamer device is designed to perform multiple reaming operations at different diameters by incorporating multiple cutting blades that can be selectively positioned. The device thus serves as a universal tool that replaces the traditional set of multiple specialized reamers.

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

2Manufacturing precision

If large size conventional reamers with sharp edges are used, then the reaming function is achieved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to tissue damage and delayed wound healing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereaming precisionVSAvoidtissue damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting blades are designed with locally optimized geometry, featuring rounded edges at the cutting tip rather than sharp edges. This local modification reduces mechanical trauma to the surrounding soft tissues while maintaining effective cutting performance on the bone surface, thereby reducing harmful effects on adjacent tissues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting blades incorporate curved and rounded geometric features instead of sharp angular edges. The rounded cutting tip geometry reduces stress concentration and minimizes damage to surrounding soft tissues during insertion and reaming operations, while still achieving precise bone surface preparation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual manipulation of expandable reamers is used, then the reaming function is performed, but the duration of action increases leading to higher infection risk and tissue damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereamer expansion capabilityVSAvoidprocedure time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer incorporates a spring-loaded mechanism that automatically expands the cutting blades to the required diameter during insertion into the acetabulum. The spring force drives the expansion without requiring manual manipulation, thereby reducing procedure time and minimizing the risk of infection and tissue damage associated with prolonged manual handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If fixed-diameter burrs are used, then the reaming function is performed, but the adaptability decreases due to inability to control cutting diameter continuously

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereaming efficiencyVSAvoidcutting diameter adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting blades are mounted on adjustable supports that allow continuous variation of the radial position of the cutting edges. This dynamic adjustment capability enables continuous control of the effective cutting diameter throughout the reaming process, eliminating the limitations of fixed-diameter burrs and improving both efficiency and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4069102B1A unit for the reaming of the surface of joint cartilage and of periarticular bone of an acetabulum or femoral head
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 ROGALA PIOTR INDYWIDUALNA SPECJALISTYCZNA PRAKTYKA LEKARSKA W MIEJSCU WEZWANIA
  • EP4069102B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4069102B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4069102B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The subject of the invention is a unit for reaming of the surface of joint cartilage and of periarticular bone of an acetabulum and femoral head, used in orthopaedical surgery, being used as equipment to prepare the surface of cartilage and periarticular bone for endoprosthesis implantation. The unit is characterised by having at least two burrs (2) with a slanting end of the cutting blade (16) and an arc shape, ending with a ball-shaped pivot (10), placed in the guides (11) of a matrix 3, whereas each of the burrs (2) is placed in a channel (12) of a shaped body (1), whereas the body (1) is connected by a joint with the unit's drive mechanism (6), whereas the matrix (3) is placed on a shank (13), which is connected with the shaft (4) by a threaded connection (18) with a lock (8), and the bod (1) has a threaded joint (17) to the shaft (4).