Bone Fixation Catheter with Inflatable Balloon and Light Pipe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone cement injection devices face challenges in adjusting or controlling the injection volume or rate in real-time according to cancellous bone conditions, leading to potential leakage and complications such as soft tissue damage and nerve root pain during bone fracture repair.
Innovation Solution
An internal bone fixation device featuring a delivery catheter with a conformable member that expands within the bone, using a light pipe to harden reinforcing materials like bone cement, ensuring precise placement and minimizing tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bone cement injection devices are used, then bone fracture repair can be performed, but the injection volume or rate cannot be adjusted or controlled in real-time according to cancellous bone conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery catheter incorporates a compliant balloon that can be dynamically inflated and deflated to adjust the injection volume and rate of bone cement in real-time according to the actual cancellous bone conditions encountered during the procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and volume parameters of the delivery device by inflating/deflating the balloon to control the injection rate and volume of bone cement, allowing adaptation to varying bone density and cavity conditions
2Reliability
If conventional bone cement injection devices are used, then bone fracture repair can be performed, but bone cement may leak to areas outside the fractured bone site causing soft tissue damage and nerve root pain
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant balloon acts as a containment barrier that is inflated before bone cement injection to prevent leakage to surrounding tissues and nerves, cushioning against potential harmful effects before they can occur
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon uses a flexible membrane structure that can conform to the bone cavity shape while maintaining containment pressure to prevent bone cement leakage outside the fracture site
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive techniques are used, then tissue damage is reduced, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery catheter employs a nested structure where the compliant balloon is contained within the catheter shaft, and the light pipe is positioned within the balloon, allowing minimally invasive delivery through sequential nesting of components
Solution Approach 2:
The light pipe serves as an intermediary component that delivers light energy through the catheter and balloon to cure the bone cement, enabling minimally invasive placement without requiring open surgical exposure
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 solution allows for precise and minimally invasive bone fracture repair with reduced risk of leakage and tissue damage, providing strong and stable support for healing bones while maintaining ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
activating a light source that is connected to the optical fiber to communicate light energy into the inner lumen of the conformable member such that the at least one reinforcing material is hardened
Data Source
AI summary
Internal bone fixation devices and methods for using the devices for repairing a weakened or fractured bone are disclosed herein. According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a device for repairing a fractured bone that includes a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the delivery catheter having an inner void for passing at least one reinforcing material, and an inner lumen for accepting a light pipe, wherein a distal end of the inner lumen terminates in an optical lens; a conformable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, the conformable member moving from a deflated state to an inflated state when the at least one reinforcing material is delivered to the conformable member; and an adapter releasably engaging the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the light pipe and the at least one reinforcing material.