Articulating Drill Guide Adapter for ACL Tunnel Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical drill guides lack the ability to distinguish between left and right knees and accommodate individual bone configurations, leading to suboptimal tunnel placement during ACL reconstruction surgeries, resulting in trial and error and the need for multiple fixed-angle guides.
Innovation Solution
A surgical drill guide system with an articulating guide adapter that includes a top cap, thumbscrew, lock tab, and spring mechanism, allowing the aimer guide to pivot relative to the bone and lock into place, enabling precise positioning of the drilling site with minimal soft tissue penetration and structural soundness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional fixed-angle drill guides are used, then the device structure is simple, but the tunnel placement accuracy is compromised due to inability to accommodate individual bone configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide incorporates an articulating mechanism that allows the guide arm to pivot and adjust its angle dynamically. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the guide to adapt to different bone configurations and individual patient anatomy, thereby improving tunnel placement accuracy without requiring multiple fixed-angle guides.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide adapter allows for changeable angular parameters through articulation. The guide arm can be adjusted to different angles to match the specific anatomical requirements of each patient's knee, transforming a static fixed-angle design into a dynamic variable-angle system that optimizes placement precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixed-angle guides are manufactured to cover different applications, then the adaptability increases, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single drill guide system with an articulating mechanism can perform multiple functions by adjusting the guide arm angle. This universal design replaces the need for multiple specialized fixed-angle guides, as one articulating guide can accommodate various bone configurations and surgical scenarios through dynamic positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulating mechanism provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the guide to be repositioned to different angles during surgery. This dynamic capability gives a single guide the versatility of multiple fixed-angle guides while reducing overall device complexity and inventory requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If trial and error approach is used to locate optimal entry point, then the ease of operation decreases, but the tunnel placement accuracy improves through iterative adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The articulating guide adapter allows the surgeon to pre-position the guide arm at the correct angle before drilling. By establishing the optimal trajectory in advance through articulation adjustment, the need for trial and error during drilling is eliminated, improving both precision and operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system incorporates visual and physical feedback mechanisms that allow the surgeon to verify the accuracy of the guide placement and angle adjustment. This feedback enables immediate correction if needed, eliminating the need for time-consuming trial and error while maintaining high precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A drill guide system provides a means of improved tunnel placement accuracy by allowing the drill guide to articulate to seat against the bone being drilled. The drill guide includes an articulating drill guide adapter constructed in four parts: a top cap, a thumbscrew, a lock tab, and a spring mechanism. The drill guide adapter is part of an aimer arm which mates with a handle on the proximal end and an aimer guide on the distal end. The drill guide adaptor allows the aimer guide to articulate relative to an irregular mating surface, allowing for increased area contact between the aimer guide template and bone. Examples of the drill guide adaptor also include a means for locking the aimer guide into place relative to the aimer arm.