Bone Screw with Localized Apertures for Fusion Strength
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone screws lack optimal balance between structural strength and bone growth facilitation, as they either compromise strength with increased bone growth apertures or hinder bone fusion due to insufficient surface area for growth.
Innovation Solution
A bone screw design featuring a main body with external and internal threaded surfaces, a central bore, and multiple side bores, where bone growth apertures occupy between 10% to 60% of the surface, enhancing bone integration while maintaining sufficient structural integrity through strategic thread configuration and material selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bone growth apertures are added to the bone screw surface, then bone growth facilitation is improved, but structural strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bone screw features non-uniform distribution of bone growth apertures, with higher concentration in specific regions (distal third and proximal half) and different aperture sizes (0.5-2mm diameter). This local variation optimizes bone growth facilitation in critical areas while preserving structural strength in load-bearing regions, resolving the contradiction between bone growth facilitation and structural strength.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bone growth aperture surface area is increased to enhance bone integration, then bone fusion support is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that bone growth apertures occupy 10-60% of the surface area in specific regions rather than uniformly across the entire screw. This localized approach enhances bone integration where needed while maintaining sufficient material for structural integrity, directly resolving the contradiction between bone integration and structural integrity.
3Strength
If threaded surfaces are configured to maximize bone engagement, then fixation strength is improved, but surface area for bone growth deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bone screw divides its surface into distinct functional zones: threaded regions for fixation strength and non-threaded regions with bone growth apertures for bone integration. This segmentation allows the threaded portions to maximize mechanical engagement and fixation strength while the non-threaded portions provide dedicated surface area for bone growth, resolving the contradiction between fixation strength and surface area for bone growth.
4Adaptability or versatility
If bone growth apertures are added to promote fusion, then bone fusion support is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bone screw incorporates a porous structure through bone growth apertures that allow bone ingrowth while maintaining structural integrity. This porous design promotes bone fusion support through natural bone ingrowth mechanisms without requiring complex additional components or systems, resolving the contradiction between bone fusion support and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A bone screw including a main body portion having a proximal end and a distal end. An external threaded surface and an internal threaded surface are formed on the main body portion. The external threaded surface intersects the internal threaded surface proximate a lower surface of the external threaded surface and a lower surface of the internal threaded surface. A plurality of bone growth apertures is defined on the surface of the main body portion where the external threaded surface and the internal threaded surface are not located. The bone growth apertures comprise between about 10 percent and about 60 percent of the surface of the main body portion.