Adjustable Bone Plate with Spacing Assembly for Osteotomy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone osteotomy procedures, such as ulnar shortening, face challenges in achieving precise cuts and stable fixation due to cumbersome instrumentation and the need for thick bone plates, which can lead to complications like non-unions, malunions, and stress shielding, especially when cutting through bones without interference from plate components.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a bone plate with a spacing assembly that can be adjusted between a cutting state with a gap for unobstructed cutting and an operative state for closer bone plate positioning, allowing for precise controlled movement and fixation of bone sections without requiring slotted holes or repetitive screw insertion, enabling flexible cut orientation and optimal screw placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a thick bone plate is used to provide stable fixation during osteotomy, then fixation stability is improved, but the plate interferes with cutting component passage and requires more complex screw maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate is divided into multiple sections with varying thicknesses. Thinner sections are positioned where cutting components need to pass through, while thicker sections provide stable fixation in areas where cutting interference is not needed. This segmentation allows the plate to simultaneously provide overall stability while creating localized pathways for cutting instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the bone plate are designed with different thicknesses and structural properties. Areas requiring cutting access have reduced thickness or open structures, while areas requiring maximum stability maintain full thickness. This local variation in quality optimizes both cutting accessibility and fixation stability without requiring complex screw maneuvers throughout the entire plate.
2Reliability
If a thick bone plate is used to ensure stable fixation, then fixation reliability is improved, but the plate thickness complicates the cutting process and may lead to complications
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate structure is segmented into zones of different thicknesses, allowing cutting components to pass through thinner sections without interference from plate material, while thicker sections maintain fixation reliability. This eliminates the harmful effect of cutting interference while preserving reliable fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The varied thickness design of the bone plate acts as an intermediary solution between the conflicting requirements of stable fixation and unobstructed cutting. The plate's structural design mediates between these opposing needs by providing stability where required and clearance where cutting occurs, preventing complications associated with thick plate interference.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional instrumentation systems are used for bone cutting and fixation, then procedural completeness is achieved, but the procedure becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate integrates multiple functions that were previously performed by separate instrumentation systems. The plate itself provides cutting guidance features, fixation capability, and structural support, merging what were previously distinct steps into a unified approach. This eliminates cumbersome separate instrumentation while maintaining precise cutting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone plate is designed as a multi-functional component that performs cutting guidance, structural support, and fixation in a single element. This universal design replaces multiple specialized instruments, streamlining the surgical procedure and improving efficiency without sacrificing the precision required for accurate bone cutting and alignment.
4Adaptability or versatility
If repetitive screw insertion and loosening is performed to achieve bone shortening, then bone configuration change is achieved, but thread purchase is compromised and fixation reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms that allow bone shortening and configuration changes without requiring repetitive screw loosening and tightening. Adjustable elements such as sliding components or telescoping sections enable length modification while screws remain tightly secured, preserving thread purchase integrity while achieving the desired adaptive bone configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for facilitating changing of a configuration of a bone having: a bone plate with a surface to overlie a surface of a bone; and a spacing assembly configured to be placed together with the bone plate selectively in: a) a cutting state wherein the spacing assembly maintains a gap region between at least a part of the bone plate surface and the bone surface which the bone plate surface is situated to overlie; and b) a second state wherein the at least part of the bone plate surface can be moved closer to the bone surface. A cutting component can be directed fully through a bone and into the gap region with the spacing assembly and bone plate in the cutting state. After the bone is cut, the bone plate and spacing assembly can be changed into the second state whereupon the bone plate can be placed against the bone surface in an operative position.