Bone Repositioning Guide System for Bunion Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical procedures for correcting bunions, such as the Lapidus bunionectomy, are invasive, lack control over rotation and angle adjustments of the metatarsal bone, rely on in-surgery trial-and-error, and lack customization for individual patient foot conditions, leading to suboptimal outcomes and prolonged recovery times.
Innovation Solution
A method and kit for correcting bone alignment using a guide system with cannulas and k-wires that allow precise re-alignment and stabilization of bones, including the use of virtual modeling to create customized guides for each patient's unique anatomy, enabling accurate pre-planned resections and improved surgical precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional Lapidus bunionectomy is performed, then the bunion can be corrected, but the procedure is invasive and lacks control over rotation and angle adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The guide system is designed and positioned before the actual bone resection and realignment. The guide includes pre-configured cannulas and k-wires that establish the desired bone alignment geometry in advance, allowing the surgeon to follow a pre-planned correction path rather than making adjustments during the invasive procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system acts as an intermediary tool between the surgeon's intent and the actual bone realignment. It includes a guide body with cannulas that receive k-wires, which in turn guide the resection and realignment process. This intermediary structure provides controlled access and positioning without requiring direct manual manipulation of the bones during critical alignment steps.
2Loss of time
If traditional surgical methods are used, then bone correction can be achieved, but recovery time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual modeling is performed before surgery to create a patient-specific treatment plan. The guide system is designed based on this pre-planned geometry, allowing the actual surgical execution to follow a predetermined path. This reduces intraoperative decision-making time and enables more precise, faster correction with potentially quicker recovery.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional surgical procedures are performed, then bunion correction is possible, but customization for individual patient anatomy is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The guide system is designed with patient-specific anatomy in mind. The virtual modeling creates a customized treatment plan that accounts for the individual patient's bone geometry, joint positioning, and deformity characteristics. The physical guide is then manufactured or configured to match these specific local anatomical features, providing tailored correction rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Solution Approach 2:
Virtual modeling creates a digital copy or representation of the patient's actual anatomy. This virtual model is used to plan the correction and design the guide system. The guide essentially becomes a physical manifestation of the virtual plan, transferring the digital customization into the physical surgical tool that will correct the patient's specific deformity.
4Measurement precision
If traditional methods are used, then surgery can be performed, but control over rotation and angle adjustments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The desired angle and rotation parameters are calculated and locked into the guide design before surgery. The virtual modeling phase determines the exact correction geometry, and this geometry is embodied in the physical guide's cannula orientations and k-wire positions. During surgery, these pre-set parameters provide automatic control over the final bone alignment without requiring complex intraoperative measurements or adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical system and procedure are provided for correcting a deformity between first and second bones using an alignment guide based on a correction factor. The alignment guide is used to insert one or more k-wires into each of the first and second bones in a deformed configuration. A correction guide is passed along the k-wires to rotate and/or translate the first bone relative to the second bone into the corrected configuration. An auxiliary correction guide can be passed along the k-wires to further rotate and/or translate the first bone relative to the second bone from the corrected configuration to an adjusted configuration.