Adjustable Knee Cutting Block for Femoral Bone Preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in total knee arthroplasty is achieving precise bone preparation for artificial implants, as natural knees vary significantly in shape and size, while implants are available only in discrete sizes, making it difficult to select and place the best fit implant safely and accurately.
Innovation Solution
A measuring and cutting block system with a cutting guide, feeler gauge, and adjustable foot pieces that allow for precise anterior and posterior referencing, enabling optimal placement and sizing of femoral components by guiding saw blade cuts and accommodating various implant styles and patient-specific anatomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a cutting block system with adjustable components is used, then measurement precision and manufacturing precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting block is divided into multiple independent adjustable components including a first positioning element, a second positioning element, and a cutting guide. Each component can be independently adjusted and locked, allowing precise bone preparation while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting block incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable components that can be dynamically positioned and locked at different locations. The first and second positioning elements can be adjusted along the cutting guide, and the cutting guide itself can be repositioned, enabling adaptation to various bone geometries while maintaining precision through lockable positions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple positioning elements and adjustable components are incorporated, then adaptability to different patient anatomies is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system is segmented into distinct first and second positioning elements that can be independently adjusted and locked. This segmentation allows the surgeon to separately optimize each positioning aspect, making the adjustment process more manageable while maintaining high adaptability to different patient anatomies.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting guide is pre-configured with a predetermined path and orientation relative to the positioning elements. This preliminary setup reduces the number of adjustments needed during surgery, as the cutting guide already provides the correct cutting path once positioned, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an exemplary embodiment, a cutting block for cutting the femur during knee arthroplasty surgery may be provided. The cutting block may include a cutting guide having a number of slots for guiding a cutter to cut the femur and further comprising a slide extending from the frame of the cutting guide. The cutting block may further include a body that may have a groove with flanges, wherein the space defined by the groove and the flanges may receive the slide extending from the frame of the cutting guide. Further, a feeler gauge may include a support block receiving a pointer arm, wherein the pointer arm may include a pointer that may be configured to make contact with patient bone tissue. A foot including a pair of spaced apart flanges configured to engage the posterior condyles of the patient's femur may also be included in the cutting block.