Antimicrobial Set Screw Using Galvanic Ion Elution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic implant devices face challenges in achieving antimicrobial properties without requiring external operations or treatments, leading to increased patient burden due to microbial growth and infection risks.
Innovation Solution
An antimicrobial implant device made from a cobalt-based alloy and a titanium-based alloy, where the two materials form an electric circuit in vivo, allowing antimicrobial metal ions to be eluted from the cobalt-based alloy, providing an antimicrobial surface and surrounding area without external interventions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an implant device is made with antimicrobial metal components, then antimicrobial property is achieved, but device complexity increases due to requiring external power source and terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the external power source and terminal components from the antimicrobial implant system. By integrating the power generation function directly into the implant device itself through biocompatible metal components that generate electrical potential差 with body tissues, the system eliminates the need for separate external power sources and terminals, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining antimicrobial efficacy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the power source function and antimicrobial metal component functions into a single integrated implant device. The biocompatible metals (silver, copper, or their alloys) serve dual purposes: maintaining structural integrity as implant components and generating electrical potential差 with surrounding body tissues to power the antimicrobial function, thereby combining multiple functions into one device and reducing overall system complexity
2Reliability
If an implant device requires external power source and treatment to achieve antimicrobial property, then antimicrobial property is achieved, but patient burden increases due to external operations needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service functionality where the implant device autonomously generates its own power through the electrical potential差 created between the biocompatible metal components and surrounding body tissues. The device automatically activates and maintains its antimicrobial function without requiring external power sources, patient operations, or external control, thereby eliminating patient burden while ensuring reliable antimicrobial protection
3Device complexity
If conventional implant devices are used without antimicrobial treatment, then device simplicity is maintained, but microbial growth and infection risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or chemical antimicrobial treatments (such as coatings, heat treatment, or chemical impregnation) with an electrochemical mechanism. The biocompatible metal components generate electrical potential差 with body tissues to drive electrochemical reactions that release antimicrobial metal ions, providing a simpler, more effective antimicrobial mechanism that maintains device simplicity while preventing microbial growth
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively reduces patient burden by achieving antimicrobial properties upon implantation, significantly decreasing microbial growth and infection risks without the need for external treatments or operations.
Implementation Method 1
An antimicrobial implant device made from a cobalt-based alloy and a titanium-based alloy, where the two materials form an electric circuit in vivo, allowing antimicrobial metal ions to be eluted from the cobalt-based alloy
Data Source
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AI summary
A set screw for an antimicrobial implant device comprising a set screw body having a screw portion and a head portion wherein the screw portion has a screw groove on the outer surface thereof and the head portion has an opening on the top thereof; and a cap having a leg portion for fitting the opening of the set screw body, wherein at least a surface of the opening of the set screw body and at least a surface of the leg portion of the cap comprise a first material and a second material that have a potential difference; the first material comprises an antimicrobial metal; the second material is nobler than the first material; an electric circuit is formed between the first material and the second material when the set screw is implanted in vivo for use; and ions of the antimicrobial metal are eluted from the first material under a presence of an electrolyte to impart an antimicrobial property to a surface and/or a surrounding area of the first material.