Anatomical Alignment Plate for Acetabular Cup Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for positioning prosthetics, such as acetabular cups, in anatomical structures lack precision and consistency, often relying on visual identification and not accurately replicating biomechanical geometries and ranges of motion.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an alignment plate with fingers or legs that contact specific anatomical points, guiding an impaction rod and alignment sleeve to achieve preselected orientations, ensuring accurate placement and alignment of prosthetics like acetabular cups within the acetabulum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual identification is used to confirm placement of the acetabular cup, then the placement process is simple and quick, but the precision and accuracy of replicating anatomical geometries deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an alignment plate as an intermediary device between the surgeon's visual assessment and the actual cup placement. The alignment plate includes multiple contact surfaces that engage with specific anatomical landmarks (ilium, ischium, pubis), serving as a mechanical mediator to translate anatomical geometry into precise positioning. This intermediary device eliminates the need for complex intraoperative measurements while ensuring accurate replication of anatomical geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment plate is designed with pre-determined contact surface geometries that are prepared in advance based on anatomical studies. The contact surfaces are pre-configured to match specific anatomical landmarks, allowing the surgeon to simply engage the plate with the patient's anatomy without performing complex measurements or calculations during surgery. This preliminary preparation of the positioning geometry resolves the contradiction by providing precision through pre-planning rather than intraoperative complexity.
2Reliability
If traditional positioning methods are used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of achieving predetermined orientation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment plate features locally optimized contact surfaces at specific locations corresponding to anatomical landmarks. Each contact surface (first, second, and third contact surfaces) is uniquely shaped and positioned to engage with a specific bone structure (ilium, ischium, pubis). This local customization of contact surface geometries ensures that the device achieves reliable predetermined orientation through localized anatomical engagement rather than through complex overall device mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning function is segmented into multiple discrete contact surfaces, each responsible for engaging a specific anatomical landmark. Rather than using a single complex positioning mechanism, the alignment plate divides the positioning task into three separate contact points that work together to define the cup orientation. This segmentation increases reliability by distributing the positioning function across multiple independent anatomical references.
3Manufacturing precision
If visual identification alone is used, then the operation is fast, but the manufacturing precision of replicating anatomical geometries deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment plate incorporates contact surfaces that are precise copies or replicas of anatomical landmark geometries. The first, second, and third contact surfaces are designed to match the shapes and positions of the ilium, ischium, and pubis respectively. By copying the essential geometric features of the anatomical structures, the device achieves high geometric replication precision while maintaining ease of operation, as the surgeon simply needs to engage the pre-configured contact surfaces with the corresponding anatomical landmarks without performing complex measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
An alignment plate can be designed and formed based upon a known geometry of a subject, such as a human patient. The alignment plate can include various members, such as a plurality of fingers or legs, to contact the selected points of the anatomy. Based upon contact of the fingers at the selected points of the anatomy, the alignment plate can be aligned at a preselected or predetermined alignment with a portion of the anatomy, such as an acetabulum.