Anatomic Humerus Implants Using 3D Bone Modeling for Stable Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fracture treatment devices for the humerus, such as plates and intramedullary nails, are not anatomically correct in shape and size, leading to complications like further fracturing, soft tissue irritation, and increased risk of failure, particularly in periprosthetic fractures around arthroplasty components.
Innovation Solution
A methodology using CT scan data and 3D modeling to understand the specific three-dimensional anatomy of the humerus, enabling the design of anatomically correct implants with customized shapes and sizes, including periprosthetic bone plates and intramedullary nails, tailored to individual patient anatomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If current non-anatomic plates and intramedullary nails are used for humerus fracture treatment, then device availability and ease of manufacture are improved, but anatomical fit and fixation stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by offering multiple plate widths (narrow, medium, wide) and multiple intramedullary nail diameters (small, medium, large) to match different patient anatomies. This allows the same basic device design to be adapted to various anatomical configurations, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and anatomical fit by standardizing designs while providing size variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the plate产品线 into multiple width categories (narrow, medium, wide) and the intramedullary nails into multiple diameter categories (small, medium, large). This segmentation allows surgeons to select the appropriate size for each patient's anatomy, improving anatomical fit while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through standardized production of each size category.
2Device complexity
If a single plate width is used for all patients, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but soft tissue irritation and fixation effectiveness worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the width parameter of the plates to create narrow, medium, and wide variants. This allows the plate width to be optimized for each patient's anatomy, reducing soft tissue irritation from overly wide plates while maintaining sufficient width for adequate fixation in larger patients, thus resolving the contradiction between device complexity and harmful effects.
3Device complexity
If non-anatomic intramedullary nails are used, then device simplicity is improved, but iatrogenic fracturing and fixation stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by providing intramedullary nails in multiple diameter sizes (small, medium, large) that correspond to different patient anatomies. This allows the nail diameter to be optimized for each patient, improving fixation stability and reducing the risk of iatrogenic fractures while maintaining relatively simple device designs that are easy to manufacture and implant.
4Strength
If larger lower extremity plates are used for upper extremity fractures, then fixation strength is improved, but soft tissue stripping and surgical complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing plates with specific width categories (narrow, medium, wide) optimized for upper extremity anatomy rather than using universally large lower extremity plates. This allows the plate width to be locally optimized for the specific anatomical region and patient size, providing adequate fixation strength while reducing soft tissue stripping and surgical complexity associated with oversized plates.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods for understanding external and internal anatomy of bones through the use of imaging data and 3D modeling to facilitate the design of anatomically correct plates, devices and implants are disclosed. In one aspect the method results in an implant or plate that includes at least one curved surface wherein a contour of the at least one curved surface corresponds to an anatomic shape of a subject. The anatomic shape of the subject being determined based on an image of the bone.