Patient-Specific Bone Cutting Guides with Offset Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic procedures lack precision in resurfacing bone surfaces for joint reconstruction, as existing methods do not effectively utilize patient-specific guides and tools to accurately match the unique anatomy of each patient's joint, leading to suboptimal implant fit and surgical outcomes.
Innovation Solution
The development of patient-specific guides and instruments, preoperatively configured based on three-dimensional digital images of the patient's joint, which include resurfacing guides, alignment guides, and reconfigurable resurfacing tools, allowing for precise matching and resurfacing of the bone surface to prepare it for either patient-specific or non-custom implants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If patient-specific guides and tools are used for bone resurfacing, then manufacturing precision and implant fit are improved, but device complexity and surgical time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guidance instrument is divided into multiple modular components including a patient-specific guide, a reusable alignment tool, and interchangeable cutting effectors. This segmentation allows the complex system to be assembled from standardized parts, reducing overall complexity while maintaining precision through custom-fit guide surfaces that are pre-configured to match individual patient anatomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide surfaces and alignment features are pre-configured and pre-operatively designed based on three-dimensional digital images of the patient's joint. This preliminary customization before surgery eliminates the need for intraoperative measurements and adjustments, reducing surgical time and complexity while ensuring high manufacturing precision through digital planning and pre-fabrication.
2Measurement precision
If patient-specific guides are preoperatively configured based on three-dimensional digital images, then measurement precision and implant fit are improved, but loss of time for preoperative planning and manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
Three-dimensional digital images of the patient's joint are used to create virtual copies and precise digital models of the bone anatomy. These digital copies enable accurate measurement and design of patient-specific guides without requiring physical measurements during surgery. The digital models are then manufactured using additive manufacturing or CNC machining, which efficiently translates the digital precision into physical guides, reducing overall time despite the initial digital planning requirement.
3Productivity
If multiple resurfacing guides with offset elongated slots are used, then productivity and complete bone surface coverage are improved, but device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bone surface resurfacing is divided into multiple sequential steps using different guides, each with specific elongated slots positioned to access different areas of the bone surface. This segmentation allows complete coverage through systematic progression while maintaining simplicity in each individual guide design, as each guide only needs to address a specific zone rather than the entire surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a modular approach where guides and templates can be dynamically selected and switched based on the specific surgical needs and bone anatomy. The reusable alignment tool can be paired with different cutting effectors, and guides can be positioned at different locations, providing dynamic adaptability without requiring every possible variation to be manufactured as separate fixed components.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic device for cutting or resurfacing an outer bone surface of a bone of a patient includes first and second guides. Each guide has a patient-specific surface preoperatively configured as a negative surface of a portion of the outer bone surface of the bone and a plurality of elongated slots. The elongated slots of the second guide are offset relative to the elongated slots of the first guide and configured for guiding a tool to resurface the outer bone surface.