Cylindrical Guide Element for Bone Removal Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
During arthroscopic or open surgery for removing osteophytes or bone scar tissue, there is a lack of a reliable guide and protection system for bone removal instruments, leading to potential damage to surrounding soft tissues and uncertainty in bone removal quantity, which can prolong surgery and increase risk of injury.
Innovation Solution
A guide and protection element comprising a cylindrical body with axially aligned pin for secure attachment to the bone removal instrument, featuring windows of varying dimensions for controlled exposure of the cutting head and providing a visual reference to prevent excessive bone removal and protect surrounding tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bone removal instrument is used without a guide and protection system, then the surgical procedure can be performed quickly, but the risk of damaging surrounding soft tissues increases and the accuracy of bone removal quantity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide and protection element is designed to fit over the existing bone removal instrument, with the cutting head nested within the protective element. The protective element acts as an outer shell that contains the cutting head while providing guidance and protection functions, effectively nesting multiple functions within a single integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide and protection element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides the instrument along the correct path, protects surrounding soft tissues from damage, provides visual reference for bone removal quantity, and constrains the cutting head to prevent deviation. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by adding safety features without requiring multiple separate devices.
2Ease of operation
If the cutting head is fully exposed for easy operation, then the surgeon can operate quickly, but the risk of deviating from the correct path and damaging surrounding tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective element features windows with varying dimensions that provide localized exposure of the cutting head at specific positions. Rather than fully exposing or completely enclosing the cutting head, the windows allow controlled visibility and access at critical areas while maintaining protection in other regions, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and safety.
3Measurement precision
If no visual reference is provided during bone removal, then the instrument design remains simple, but the surgeon cannot accurately determine the amount of bone removed
Solution Approach 1:
The protective element incorporates windows that provide visual references for the surgeon during bone removal. These windows allow the surgeon to observe the bone removal process and determine when the correct amount has been removed, potentially through visual cues such as color changes or structural features visible through the windows, without requiring complex electronic measurement systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A guide and protection element for bone removal instruments comprises a cylindrical body (2), suitable to be fitted over a bone removal instrument, having a first end (2a) that is completely open and a second end (2b) that is at least partially closed. The cylindrical body (2) is provided on a lateral surface (2c) with at least one window (5) to allow the bone removal instrument to operate on a bone to be treated.