Adjustable Revision Guide for Knee Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical guides for total knee replacement surgeries lack efficiency in accurately locating resection guides during orthopedic procedures, leading to time-consuming trial-and-error processes and potential misalignment issues, especially in revision arthroplasty where multiple resected surfaces need alignment.
Innovation Solution
An axial height adjustable revision cutting guide is designed, featuring a vernier-bolt system within a threaded passageway, allowing precise adjustments and maintaining alignment with the intramedullary canal, enabling accurate bone resections without removing the guide, thus ensuring optimal implant fit and reducing unnecessary bone removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed cutting guide is used during total knee replacement surgery, then the initial alignment can be established, but adjustments cannot be made during the trial phase leading to time-consuming trial-and-error processes
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting guide is designed with adjustable components including a movable trial component and repositionable alignment features, allowing dynamic adjustment during the surgical trial phase without requiring removal and replacement of the entire guide system
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting guide system is divided into separate adjustable modules including the trial component, alignment guides, and fixation elements, enabling independent adjustment of each segment to achieve optimal positioning
2Measurement precision
If manual alignment of cutting guides is performed during surgery, then the mechanical axis can be determined, but alignment accuracy is reduced leading to misalignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
Manual visual alignment methods are replaced with a mechanical guide system that uses the intramedullary canal as a reference axis, incorporating geometric constraints and physical guides that automatically maintain proper alignment relationships
Solution Approach 2:
The intramedullary canal serves as an intermediary reference structure that provides a stable, pre-defined axis for alignment, eliminating the need for manual computation and measurement of the mechanical axis during surgery
3Manufacturing precision
If trial implants are removed and repositioned multiple times, then optimal fit can be assessed, but unnecessary bone removal occurs and surgical time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting guide establishes and maintains accurate resection planes and alignment relationships before the trial implant is positioned, ensuring that subsequent implant trials occur on precisely prepared surfaces that require minimal adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
An axial height adjustable, revision cutting in the shape of a final distal femur implant component. The revision guide includes a rod adapted for intimate contact within an intramedullary canal of a femur, and includes a threaded passageway. The revision cutting guide is adapted for removable attachment to a distal portion of the femur. A vernier-bolt is rotatably positioned through the shaped body of the revision cutting guide so as to be adjustably received within the threaded passageway thereby providing for movement of the shaped body of the revision cutting guide relative to the distal portion of the femur.