Rotatable ACL Drill Guide Assembly for Left-Right Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drill guide assemblies for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) procedures, such as ACL surgeries, often require separate guides for left-side and right-side procedures and lack a secure and angled engagement mechanism for anatomical structures.
Innovation Solution
The ACL drill guide assembly features a sterilizable and reusable design with a tongue structure and serrated teeth at the engagement end for secure anatomical engagement, allowing for proper angled orientation. The shaft is rotatable and can be locked in place, enabling use for both left-side and right-side procedures with labeling for tunnel diameter and offset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate drill guides are used for left-side and right-side procedures, then proper angled orientation is achieved for each side, but device complexity and inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide assembly incorporates a rotatable shaft that can be rotated between left-side and right-side positions, allowing a single guide to adapt to different surgical sides. The shaft rotation enables the engagement end to be oriented at the proper angle for either left or right procedures, eliminating the need for separate guides for each side.
Solution Approach 2:
The drill guide assembly is designed as a universal tool that can perform both left-side and right-side procedures using the same physical device. The rotatable shaft mechanism allows one guide to serve multiple functions (left and right procedures), reducing the number of different guides needed in the surgical inventory.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed engagement end is used, then the structure is simple, but adaptability to different anatomical orientations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement end is made dynamic through the rotatable shaft mechanism, allowing it to change its angular orientation relative to the handle. This enables the same engagement end to be properly oriented for both left-side and right-side procedures by rotating the shaft to the appropriate position before engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement end features an asymmetric design with a tongue structure and serrated teeth that are optimized for engagement with the back of the condyle. The asymmetric geometry provides secure engagement while the rotatable shaft allows this asymmetric engagement end to be oriented symmetrically for both left and right procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the shaft is made rotatable for both sides, then versatility is improved, but the locking mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A locking mechanism serves as an intermediary component between the rotatable shaft and the handle assembly. This locking mechanism allows the shaft to be rotated to the desired position (left or right) and then secured in place, providing a simple interface that manages the complexity of the rotatable feature without requiring complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft transitions from a static fixed position to a dynamic rotatable component that can be positioned and locked. The locking mechanism enables the shaft to be freely rotatable during setup, then secured in the precise angular position needed for the procedure, providing both adaptability and stability when required.
4Ease of manufacture
If the drill guide is designed as a single integrated piece, then manufacturing is simpler, but ease of cleaning and sterilization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide assembly is divided into separable components including the handle assembly, rotatable shaft, and engagement end. This segmentation allows each component to be independently cleaned and sterilized, improving access to crevices and complex geometries that would be difficult to reach in a fully integrated design, while still maintaining manufacturing efficiency through modular assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
An ACL drill guide assembly for use in an ACL or similar surgical procedure. The drill guide assembly is sterilizable and reusable, and includes an engagement end that includes a tongue structure and serrated teeth that are adapted to securely engage the back of the condyle of the knee and provide proper angled orientation for subsequent guide pin/drill placement and use. The shaft of the drill guide assembly is movable/rotatable such that the same drill guide assembly may be used for both left-side and right-side procedures. Labeling is provided on the drill guide assembly for conveniently indicating the associated tunnel diameter and offset from the engaged bone surface. Further, the handle and shaft may be disengaged via a convenient locking mechanism.