Bunion Repair Implant and Guide for Precise Percutaneous Screw Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive bunion correction surgery faces challenges due to limited visual access and precision issues in placing bone screws, particularly in aligning and securing bone fragments without clear radiographic visualization.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system comprising an implant with attachment body and extension, a placement guide, rotation arm, and drill guide, which includes apertures and notches for precise alignment and fixation of bone fragments using bone screws, ensuring accurate alignment and stabilization during bunion correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a minimally invasive approach is used for bunion correction surgery, then trauma to patient tissues is minimized and patient outcomes are improved, but visual access to the surgical site is limited and precision in placing bone screws becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces alignment tools as intermediary devices that mediate between the limited visual access and the precision required for bone screw placement. These tools include alignment rods, alignment blocks, and radiographic markers that provide reference structures for accurate positioning without requiring direct visual access to the surgical site.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct visual mechanical guidance with radiographic and alignment-based guidance systems. Instead of relying on direct sight to position screws, the system uses radiographs combined with alignment tools that provide mechanical reference structures, enabling precise placement through indirect visualization and alignment mechanisms.
2Loss of information
If radiographs are used to visualize steps of the surgical procedure, then alignment information is provided, but the precision required for bone screw placement is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces alignment tools as intermediary devices that bridge the gap between radiographic information and precise mechanical placement. These tools include alignment rods and blocks that physically translate radiographic alignment data into mechanical guidance for screw placement, ensuring both information retention and precision execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary alignment actions using alignment tools before actual screw placement. Alignment rods and blocks are positioned first to establish reference structures, and only after this preliminary alignment is confirmed through radiographs does the surgeon proceed to screw insertion, ensuring precision is achieved through staged preparation.
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment tools are introduced to improve precision, then bone screw placement accuracy is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the alignment system into separate, modular components including alignment rods, alignment blocks, and radiographic markers. Each component performs a specific function and can be independently positioned or removed, reducing the complexity of coordinating multiple integrated systems while maintaining overall precision through segmented functional elements.
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical systems and methods for correcting a bunion through translating the capital fragment. The surgical system can include an implant including apertures. The surgical system can include a placement guide which can assist in placing the screws percutaneously through the implant and bone. The surgical system can include a rotation arm to facilitate achieving the desired amount of rotation for the capital fragment.