Bone Drill Guide Alignment for Precise Femoral Tunnel Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing arthroscopic procedures, particularly ACL reconstruction, face challenges in accurately determining the drilling entry and exit points and maintaining the correct angle during femoral tunnel drilling.
Innovation Solution
A guiding device with a cannula and fixation tip assembly that ensures the cannula and fixation tip portions are aligned on a single mutual axis, using adjustable couplings like ratchet-type sliding mechanisms to maintain alignment and provide markers for the exit point, allowing for precise drilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional drilling guidance methods are used, then the procedure is simpler, but the accuracy of drilling entry and exit point determination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding device is divided into separate components: a guiding assembly with cannula for entry point determination, and a fixation assembly with fixation tip for exit point determination. These can be used independently or combined, allowing simplified usage when full precision is not needed while providing complete accuracy when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The cannula acts as an intermediary element that transmits the drilling angle and direction from the entry point through the bone to the exit point. The fixation tip serves as another intermediary to mark and verify the exact exit location, ensuring precise determination without requiring complex direct measurement systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-angle drilling guides are used, then the drilling angle is maintained, but the adaptability to different anatomical variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding device incorporates adjustable elements that allow the cannula and fixation tip to be positioned at different angles and orientations according to specific anatomical requirements. The device can be configured for different drilling trajectories while maintaining precise angle control through its adjustable mechanical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows modification of key parameters such as the angle between the cannula and fixation tip, the position of the entry and exit points, and the overall orientation of the drilling path. These parameter adjustments enable adaptation to various anatomical configurations while preserving drilling precision through the device's geometric constraints.
3Reliability
If complex fixation mechanisms are used, then the exit point fixation is more secure, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation mechanism is designed to be self-aligning and self-locking. The fixation tip automatically positions itself at the correct exit point through the geometric constraints of the guiding structure, and the connection between components features self-locking elements that secure the assembly without requiring complex adjustment procedures or multiple steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A bone drill guiding device including a drill entry part comprising a cannula having a distal end portion and sized to receive a bone drill, a drill exit part comprising a fixation tip portion and a coupling that rigidly couples the drill entry part and the drill exit part so that longitudinal axes of the cannula distal portion and the fixation tip portion are arranged on a single mutual axis. In some embodiments, the coupling is a linear sliding coupling that parallels the single mutual axis.