Bone Nail Trailing End with Smooth Waveform Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bone implants, such as nails, often protrude above the bone surface due to anatomical variations, causing pain and irritation from sharp edges at the trailing end, which can lead to discomfort and injury to surrounding soft tissue.
Innovation Solution
The bone implant features a trailing section with a smooth end surface, including depressed and elevated portions forming a waveform or sinusoidal shape, eliminating sharp edges and allowing for edge-free force transmission, reducing tissue impingement and facilitating self-centering with medical tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the trailing end of the bone implant is designed with grooves for tool engagement, then the fixation and alignment capability is improved, but sharp edges are created that cause tissue irritation and pain
Solution Approach 1:
The trailing end of the bone implant is designed with a substantially spherical shape, eliminating all sharp edges and corners. This curvature allows the implant to be freely rotatable while preventing tissue irritation, as the rounded surface distributes contact forces evenly without creating stress concentration points that would cause pain or injury to surrounding soft tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
While the overall shape is spherical, the end surface incorporates an asymmetric pattern of elevated and depressed portions. This asymmetric configuration provides specific engagement features for targeting devices and insertion tools, enabling precise alignment and controlled insertion forces, while the spherical form factor maintains tissue compatibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the trailing end protrudes above the bone surface, then it can serve as an interface for targeting devices, but it causes pain and irritation to surrounding soft tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical trailing end design allows the implant to protrude minimally above the bone surface while maintaining a completely rounded contour. This curvature eliminates sharp edges that would otherwise cause soft tissue irritation, allowing the implant to serve as a targeting device interface without compromising patient comfort.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the end surface is made smooth without edges, then tissue irritation is reduced, but the transmission of rotational and translational forces from medical devices may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The end surface features localized elevated portions and depressed portions that create specific contact points for force transmission. These localized features are distributed across the spherical surface, providing multiple engagement points for medical devices to apply rotational and translational forces, while the overall smooth spherical shape prevents tissue irritation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical geometry of the trailing end provides a stable platform for force transmission. The curved surface allows medical devices to apply forces at various angles and positions, with the spherical form distributing these forces evenly throughout the implant structure, maintaining both force transmission capability and tissue compatibility.
Data Source
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
A bone nail comprises a shaft with a leading section and a trailing section, wherein the trailing section includes an end surface having at least one depressed portion and at least one elevated portion, wherein a transition between one of the depressed portions and the adjacent elevated portion is smooth. The end surface is formed so as to transmit rotational forces as well as translational forces from a medical device to the shaft of the bone nail, when the medical device is coupled at the end surface to the trailing section of the bone nail.