Angled Reamer Spindle for Minimally Invasive Hip Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional hip replacement surgeries involve extensive muscle dissection, leading to longer recovery periods and increased trauma, making them unsuitable for minimally invasive approaches where fewer muscles are cut.

Innovation Solution

A reamer spindle with an elongate housing and angled neck configuration, allowing for angled bone cutting, is designed for minimally invasive hip replacement surgeries, featuring a rotatable shaft and a reamer head that can be sterilized, minimizing muscle trauma and facilitating quicker recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional open surgical approach is used for hip replacement, then bone shaping can be performed effectively, but extensive muscle dissection and trauma occur leading to longer recovery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebone shaping effectivenessVSAvoidmuscle trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer spindle transitions from a straight configuration to an angled configuration (35-65 degrees), allowing the cutting surface to approach the bone from a different spatial dimension. This angled approach enables bone shaping while avoiding direct trauma to the muscle tissue that would be damaged by a straight approach, thus resolving the contradiction between effective bone shaping and muscle trauma reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If straight reamer spindle is used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but it is unsuitable for minimally invasive approaches requiring angled access

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespindle structureVSAvoidsuitability for MIS approaches

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer spindle incorporates an angled neck portion that creates a dynamic spatial relationship between the driving mechanism and the cutting surface. This angular configuration (35-65 degrees) allows the spindle to adapt to the specific geometric requirements of minimally invasive surgical approaches, providing the necessary versatility while maintaining relatively simple construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If angled neck configuration is implemented, then minimally invasive access is enabled, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMIS approach compatibilityVSAvoidspindle fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The reamer spindle is divided into distinct segments: an elongate housing portion and an angled neck portion. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard machining techniques, then assembled together. The angled neck is designed as a distinct element that can be fabricated and attached to the housing, reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to creating a single complex angled piece.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8834471B2Angled reamer spindle for minimally invasive hip replacement surgery

Publication Date: 2014.09.16 VIANT AS&O HLDG LLC

AI summary

A reamer for use in minimally invasive hip replacement surgical approaches is provided. The reamer spindle includes an elongate housing portion that extends along a first axis and a neck or distal portion that extends along a second axis, wherein the second axis extends at an angle of between about 35 degrees and about 65 degrees relative to the first axis. A reamer head is removably connectable to the distal neck portion and has a surface configured to cut bone.