Bone Fixator Correction Path Planning With Adjustable Waypoints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing external fixator software solutions lack user-friendly and customizable methods for precisely controlling the correction path and rate of bone deformity adjustments, leading to potential complications such as impingement, over-stretching, and interference with the healing process.

Innovation Solution

A graphical user interface and correction logic circuitry that allows users to adjust the correction path of bone fixators through graphical manipulation and code blocks, enabling precise customization of the correction path and rate, considering hardware constraints and deformity parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If standard software solutions are used for fixator correction, then the correction process is automated, but the customization and precision control of the correction path is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of correction pathVSAvoidsoftware system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The correction path is segmented into multiple adjustable waypoints that can be independently positioned and configured. Each waypoint represents a discrete correction target that can be customized, allowing the overall correction path to be tailored to specific patient needs while maintaining system manageability through modular segmentation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The correction path is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system allows real-time modification of waypoints, correction rates, and path parameters during treatment planning and execution, enabling adaptation to changing clinical requirements while maintaining automated control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the correction rate is increased to speed up treatment, then productivity improves, but the risk of complications such as impingement and over-stretching increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrection speedVSAvoidcomplications (impingement, over-stretching)

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the correction process and automatically adjust correction rates based on real-time conditions. Safety parameters and physiological limits are built into the control algorithm to prevent over-stretching and impingement, allowing high productivity while maintaining safety through automated feedback control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The correction rate and other parameters are dynamically changed based on the treatment phase and patient response. The system automatically adjusts parameters such as distraction rate, correction velocity, and load distribution to optimize both speed and safety at different stages of the correction process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If multiple medical images are captured for deformity analysis, then measurement precision improves, but the complexity of analysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeformity parameter accuracyVSAvoidsoftware analysis complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple medical images from different modalities and views are merged and integrated into a unified three-dimensional model of the deformity. The system combines data from CT scans, MRI, and radiographs into a single comprehensive representation, improving measurement precision while reducing analysis complexity through automated image fusion and processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates digital copies and three-dimensional reconstructions of the patient's anatomy from two-dimensional medical images. These digital models serve as virtual replicas that can be manipulated and measured without handling the original complex image sets, simplifying analysis while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS20250281238A1Methods and arrangements for correction path adjustment for fixators

Publication Date: 2025.09.11 SMITH & NEPHEW INC

AI summary

Logic may interact with a user to generate or modify a code block of adjustments for a prescription or interact with the user via two-dimensional or three-dimensional image(s) to generate or modify a correction path of the treatment plan for a bone fixator. Logic may generate the prescription based on a deformity correction associated with a code block or based on a deformity correction identified by the user by modifying existing waypoints and/or adding new waypoints to the correction path. Logic may generate a display of an image of a fixed and a moving bone segment connected to the bone fixator and adjust the display to show a state of the bone deformity and the bone fixator at a point in time of the prescription selected by the user. And logic may display the remaining bone deformity for correction for the user during generation or modification of the correction path.