Bone Plate Seating Verification Stop Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

During minimally invasive hip fracture reduction procedures, it is challenging to visually confirm the proper seating of a bone plate with a lag screw barrel due to tissue coverage, making it difficult to ensure accurate placement and alignment.

Innovation Solution

An assembly with a plate holder and a stop structure that moves between positions to facilitate verification of the bone plate's seating with the lag screw barrel, using an actuator and locking mechanism to provide tactile and visual feedback for correct alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a minimally invasive procedure is performed, then patient trauma and recovery time are reduced, but visual confirmation of proper bone plate seating becomes difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient traumaVSAvoidvisual confirmation of bone plate seating

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism through a stop structure that provides tactile confirmation when the bone plate is properly seated. The stop structure moves between a first location (when improperly seated) and a second location (when properly seated), giving the surgeon immediate feedback on seating status without requiring visual inspection of the implant site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The stop structure acts as an intermediary between the bone plate and the surgeon. Instead of directly observing the bone plate seating (which is blocked by tissue), the surgeon interacts with the stop structure, which translates the seating status into a perceivable mechanical state (movable vs. fixed position).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If traditional visual inspection methods are used, then proper seating can be confirmed, but the procedure cannot be performed minimally invasively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfirmation of proper seatingVSAvoidminimally invasive capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-verification through the stop structure's automatic positioning. When the bone plate is inserted, the stop structure autonomously moves to the appropriate position based on whether the bone plate is properly seated, eliminating the need for complex external verification tools or procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If a stop structure is added to provide seating confirmation, then verification capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebone plate seating verificationVSAvoidinstrumentation structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stop structure is integrated with the existing bone plate and lag screw assembly. Rather than being a separate verification device, it combines the seating confirmation function with the structural components already present in the hip fracture reduction system, minimizing additional complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS7837689B2Plate holder assembly having bone plate seating confirmation arrangement

Publication Date: 2010.11.23 ZIMMER GMBH

AI summary

An assembly includes a plate holder having a body. The assembly further includes a stop structure movable in relation to the body between a first location and a second location. In addition, the assembly includes a bone plate assembly including (i) a bone plate having a plurality of fastener openings defined therein, the bone plate being attached to the body, and (ii) a fastener guide. One of the bone plate and the fastener guide includes a channel, and the other of the bone plate and the fastener guide includes a projection configured to be received in the channel.