Areola Marker Placement Guide for Chest Masculinization Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for areola marker placement during chest masculinization surgery lack precision and consistency, particularly in achieving a masculine contour and appearance, as they rely on manual positioning which can lead to variability in nipple and areola placement.
Innovation Solution
An areola marker placement guide comprising a superior anchor, inferior anchor, and telescoping assemblies along vertical and horizontal axes, with adjustable mechanisms to accurately position and secure areola markers relative to anatomical landmarks, ensuring precise placement and consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual positioning methods are used for areola marker placement, then the surgical procedure is simple to perform, but the placement precision and consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The guidance system is segmented into multiple independent telescoping assemblies (vertical and horizontal), each responsible for a specific directional adjustment. This segmentation allows the complex positioning task to be divided into manageable components while maintaining overall precision without requiring a monolithic complex device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic telescoping mechanisms that allow real-time adjustment of arm lengths during surgery. This dynamic capability enables precise positioning adaptation to different patient anatomies while keeping the base device structure relatively simple, resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed positioning structures are used, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability to different patient anatomies deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping assemblies provide dynamic length adjustment capabilities, allowing the device to adapt to various chest sizes and anatomical variations. The telescoping mechanism enables continuous size adjustment without requiring multiple fixed-size devices, achieving versatility with controlled complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of arm length through telescoping adjustment, allowing the same device structure to accommodate different patient anatomies. This parameter change approach provides adaptability while avoiding the need for completely different device configurations.
3Reliability
If telescoping assemblies with adjustment mechanisms are used, then the positioning consistency improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex positioning function is segmented into independent vertical and horizontal telescoping assemblies, each with its own adjustment mechanism. This segmentation distributes the complexity across modular components rather than requiring a single complex mechanism, improving reliability through independent adjustable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping assemblies employ nested tube structures where smaller tubes slide within larger tubes, creating a compact yet adjustable mechanism. This nesting approach achieves reliable multi-directional adjustment while minimizing the overall device footprint and structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An areola marker placement guide. A guide can include a superior anchor, an inferior anchor and a slidable housing located between the superior anchor and the inferior anchor. The guide can include vertical and horizontal telescoping assemblies with right and left areola markers connected to the horizontal telescoping assemblies. The guide can be used to align the areola markers such that they are equidistantly spaced from one another.