Intramedullary Nail with Angled Holes for Bone Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fracture fixation systems, such as intramedullary nails and bone plating systems, face limitations in anchoring bone screws in multiple cortical bone regions and allowing for optimal screw insertion angles, which restricts the strength and flexibility of fracture fixation.
Innovation Solution
A fracture fixation system that includes an intramedullary nail, a bone plate, and screws that allow for the insertion of bone screws into cortical regions with adjustable angles and configurations, including countersunk recesses and varying hole orientations in the intramedullary nail, enabling screws to be anchored in multiple cortical regions without interference with the bone plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional bone plating systems are used with fixed screw angles, then the bone plate can be installed, but the screws cannot be anchored in multiple cortical bone regions with optimal angles
Solution Approach 1:
The intramedullary nail incorporates multiple holes oriented at different angles, allowing the fixation system to adapt dynamically to various screw insertion angles and cortical bone regions, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that can accommodate multiple fixation configurations
Solution Approach 2:
The intramedullary nail is segmented with multiple discrete holes at different orientations, enabling independent screw placement at each hole to target specific cortical bone regions, rather than using a single fixed-angle configuration
2Adaptability or versatility
If screws are driven through the intramedullary nail at specific locations, then the nail can be secured, but the screws cannot be anchored in multiple cortical bone portions
Solution Approach 1:
The intramedullary nail is divided into multiple segments with discrete holes positioned at different locations and orientations, allowing screws to be anchored in multiple separate cortical bone portions rather than a single location
Solution Approach 2:
The intramedullary nail extends into the third dimension with holes oriented at various angles and positions along its length, enabling screws to anchor in multiple cortical bone regions across different spatial dimensions
3Ease of operation
If the bone plate covers the screw head, then the screw is secured, but the screw cannot be inserted at optimal angles for the patient's unique fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of the intramedullary nail with multiple angled holes and the bone plate creates a dynamic system where the bone plate can accommodate screw heads inserted at various angles, providing operational autonomy while maintaining secure fixation
Solution Approach 2:
The bone plate serves multiple functions: it covers screw heads for security while simultaneously accommodating screws inserted at different angles through its interaction with the multi-holed intramedullary nail, making the system universally applicable to various fracture configurations
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for securing a fractured bone includes inserting an intramedullary nail into an intramedullary canal of the bone; driving a bone screw into the bone such that a head of the bone screw is anchored in a cortical region of the bone; installing a bone plate against the bone to cover the head of the bone screw with an inner surface of the bone plate; and driving a plate screw through a plate hole of the bone plate into the underlying bone.