Percutaneous Bunion Alignment Guides for Precise Screw Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Minimally invasive surgical approaches for bunion correction face challenges in achieving precise bone screw placement due to limited visual access, necessitating improved alignment tools for accurate bone alignment.

Innovation Solution

A surgical apparatus comprising a handle, gadget, guide wire sheath, rotation arm, and periscope for precise bone alignment, utilizing a radiograph positioning tool to ensure correct placement of bone screws.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a minimally invasive surgical approach is used for bunion correction, then trauma to patient tissues is minimized, but visual access to the surgical site is limited making precise bone screw placement difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrauma to patient tissuesVSAvoidprecision of bone screw placement

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces radiopaque alignment tools and guides as intermediary objects that can be visualized via fluoroscopy/radiographs. These tools include alignment guides with radiopaque markers, positioning devices with radiopaque components, and guides with radiopaque indicators that serve as mediators between the surgeon and the surgical site, enabling precise bone screw placement through limited visual access while maintaining minimally invasive benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs radiopaque materials and markers that appear distinct under radiographic imaging. The alignment tools incorporate radiopaque components that create visible contrast on fluoroscopic images, allowing the surgeon to accurately locate and position bone screws through real-time radiographic feedback despite the minimally invasive approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Loss of information

If radiographs are used to visualize surgical steps, then visual access is provided, but the precision required for bone screw placement in chevron bunion correction is difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual access to surgical siteVSAvoidprecision of bone screw placement

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates alignment guides and positioning devices that are pre-configured with radiopaque markers and geometric features. These preliminary positioning tools establish accurate reference frames and target locations before bone screw insertion, allowing the surgeon to achieve precise placement by following pre-planned alignment paths visible on radiographs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct mechanical visualization and palpation with radiographic imaging and alignment guides. Instead of relying on tactile feedback or direct visual exposure, the system uses radiopaque alignment tools that translate positional information into visible radiographic signals, enabling precise bone screw placement through image-guided navigation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20260020880A1Surgical systems and methods including aligning guides for performing a percutaneous bunion correction

Publication Date: 2026.01.22 FUSION ORTHOPEDICS USA LLC

AI summary

Surgical systems and methods for correcting a bunion percutaneously including aligning guides are provided herein. At least one embodiment includes a handle including a rod with a first end including a first longitudinal axis and a second end including a second longitudinal axis offset from the first longitudinal axis. The handle can couple to a gadget including a leg that couples to the handle, and a translator that extends and retracts the leg. The gadget can also a slide with a guide body to guide a guide wire for accurate placement of a screw. The surgical system can also include a periscope to assist in pre-visualization of the screw placement.