Bone Peg With Offset Threads For Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bone pegs used in stabilizing fractures, particularly in the proximal humerus, face difficulties in removal due to insufficient cancellous bone density and divergent angles, making it challenging to withdraw the peg from the bone and plate without leaving the head submerged.

Innovation Solution

A bone peg with a head portion and shaft portion, featuring synchronized head and shaft threads of equivalent pitch, allowing the shaft threads to maintain contact with the bone after the head threads clear the plate aperture, facilitating easier withdrawal by extending beyond the plate body for grasping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If smooth pegs are driven into the proximal humerus at divergent angles, then subchondral support is provided to compensate for insufficient cancellous material, but the pegs become difficult to withdraw and the head remains submerged within the plate hole

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubchondral supportVSAvoidpeg withdrawal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The peg is segmented into two distinct threaded portions: a head threaded portion for engagement with the bone plate aperture and a shaft threaded portion for engagement with the bone. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function independently, enabling reliable fixation while facilitating easy withdrawal by allowing the head to be accessed and grasped for removal

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an axial dimension to the thread configuration by offsetting the head threaded portion from the shaft threaded portion along the longitudinal axis of the peg. This axial separation allows the head threads to clear the plate aperture during withdrawal while the shaft threads remain engaged with the bone, enabling the head to extend beyond the plate for grasping and removal

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Manufacturing precision

If the head threaded portion and shaft threaded portion advance simultaneously, then synchronized engagement with plate and bone is achieved, but the head threads must clear the plate aperture before shaft threads disengage from bone

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethread synchronizationVSAvoidthread configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The head threaded portion is designed to advance and clear the plate aperture before the shaft threaded portion disengages from the bone. This preliminary action ensures that the head is positioned to extend beyond the plate for grasping, while the shaft threads maintain engagement with the bone until the final stages of withdrawal, simplifying the removal process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses equivalent pitch for both head and shaft threads to maintain synchronized advancement, but introduces an axial offset between the two threaded portions. This parameter change in axial positioning allows the head to clear the plate aperture first, enabling easy withdrawal while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through consistent thread pitch

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3258867B1Bone peg having improved extraction
Publication Date: 2022.04.06 BIOMET CV
  • EP3258867B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3258867B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3258867B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A bone peg (10) configured for cooperation with a threaded aperture (82) on a bone plate (14) for use in stabilizing a fracture of a bone (16) includes a head portion (22) and a shaft portion (24). The head portion has a head threaded portion (30) that incorporates head threads (32) having a first pitch. The shaft portion extends from the head portion to a distal end (22) of the bone peg. The shaft portion includes (i) a shaft threaded portion (50) that incorporates shaft threads (60) having a second pitch, (ii) a first unthreaded portion (52) and (iii) a second unthreaded portion (54). The shaft threaded portion is disposed intermediate the first and second unthreaded portions. The first unthreaded portion axially offsets the head threaded portion from the shaft threaded portion. The pitches allow the threaded portions to advance through the aperture and the bone in a synchronised manner.