Bone Fixation Element Venturi Suction for Infection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bone fixation elements, such as screws, face challenges with infection due to the risk of bacterial invasion through the insertion tract, leading to loose screw-bone interfaces and requiring frequent tightening, removal, and cleaning, which complicates anchoring and removal during and after medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A bone fixation element with cannulae that utilize a venturi effect to remove necrotic tissue by applying suction through one cannula while maintaining ambient pressure in the other, facilitating the removal of debris and reducing infection risk through fenestrations on the screw's surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bone screws are inserted through the skin to anchor external fixation components, then the screw can be anchored in the bone, but the insertion tract allows bacterial invasion leading to infection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of the insertion tract by creating a separate removal tract that bypasses the original insertion path. The removal tract is formed through osteoclasis (controlled bone breaking) to create a new pathway, effectively separating the anchoring function from the contamination risk of the skin insertion tract.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the bone structure by creating multiple tracts: the original insertion tract for anchoring, and a separate removal tract formed through controlled osteoclasis. This segmentation allows the screw to be anchored through one path while enabling infection-free removal through another path.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If techniques are applied to prevent screw removal (to overcome infection risks), then infection risk is reduced, but the screw becomes difficult to remove when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-planning and pre-forming the removal tract through controlled osteoclasis during the initial surgical procedure. This preliminary creation of the removal pathway ensures that when screw removal is needed, it can be done easily through the pre-established tract without compromising infection prevention.
3Device complexity
If the insertion tract is used for both anchoring and removal, then the procedure is simple, but regular treatment and cleaning are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the functional pathways by creating separate insertion and removal tracts. The insertion tract handles anchoring while the removal tract (formed through osteoclasis) handles future removal, eliminating the need for regular cleaning and treatment of a single shared tract.
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 effectively prevents and limits pin tract infections by creating a vacuum to remove necrotic tissue, enhancing the stability and ease of use of bone fixation elements during and after medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The first channel and the second channel are configured such that when a suction force is applied to the proximal end of the first channel to pull a fluid through the screw from the second channel to the first channel a venturi effect occurs that draws the necrotic tissue into the at least one fenestration
Data Source
AI summary
A bone fixation element is described. The bone fixation element includes first and second channels, a connection channel, and at least one fenestration. The first channel includes a first proximal channel portion and a first distal channel portion. The first proximal channel portion extends from a proximal end of the first channel toward a distal end, and the first distal channel portion extends from the first proximal channel portion to the distal end. The connection channel extends between the distal end of the first channel and a distal end of the second channel such that the first channel is in fluid communication with the second channel via the connection channel. The at least one fenestration extends from at least one of the first and second channels to an outer surface of the bone fixation element.