Cannulated Modular Glenoid Reamer Toggling Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glenoid reamers for shoulder arthroplasty procedures often cause tissue damage and require additional soft tissue releases due to difficulties in positioning and navigating around the proximal humerus, leading to increased trauma and suboptimal preparation of the glenoid surface for implantation.
Innovation Solution
A cannulated modular glenoid reamer that can toggle between perpendicular and parallel positions relative to a guide pin, allowing for minimally invasive preparation of the glenoid surface by sliding past the proximal humerus without further tissue releases, featuring cutting blades and a magnetic insert for secure alignment and reduced tissue trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional glenoid reamer is used for shoulder arthroplasty, then the glenoid surface can be prepared for implantation, but tissue damage occurs and additional soft tissue releases are required due to positioning difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
A cannulated guide pin is inserted first to serve as an intermediary tool that establishes the correct trajectory and position. The reamer then passes through this guide pin (cannulated design) to achieve precise positioning without requiring additional soft tissue releases, thereby reducing tissue damage while improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin is inserted beforehand to pre-establish the correct positioning path. This preliminary action allows the subsequent reamer to follow the predetermined safe trajectory, avoiding tissue damage that would occur with direct reamer insertion and positioning
2Ease of operation
If additional soft tissue releases are performed to position the reamer, then the reamer can be positioned, but tissue trauma increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cannulated guide pin acts as a mediator that enables the reamer to be positioned without requiring additional soft tissue releases. The guide pin establishes the trajectory, and the reamer passes through it, eliminating the need for traumatic tissue releases while maintaining ease of positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin insertion performs the preliminary positioning action that would otherwise require traumatic soft tissue releases. By establishing the path first, the reamer can be positioned easily without additional tissue trauma
3Device complexity
If the reamer is inserted without a guiding mechanism, then the procedure is simpler, but the implant-bone interface symmetry is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The cannulated guide pin serves as an intermediary that provides the precise guiding mechanism needed for symmetric glenoid preparation. The reamer passes through this guide, achieving optimal symmetry without significantly increasing procedural complexity, as the guide pin system is integrated into the standard arthroplasty workflow
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The toggling mechanism reduces tissue damage and trauma by enabling precise alignment and preparation of the glenoid surface without additional soft tissue releases, facilitating a less invasive procedure and improving the symmetry of the implant-bone interface for optimal long-term survivorship of shoulder components.
Implementation Method 1
A cannulated glenoid reamer with a magnetic insert is provided that can be toggled from a first position, wherein the reamer is substantially perpendicular to the guide pin, to a second position, wherein the reamer is substantially parallel with the guide pin
Data Source
AI summary
A glenoid reamer having a rim, a hub located central to the rim, a plurality of cutting blades, each of the blades extending from the rim to the hub, and a first transverse slot and a second transverse slot, wherein the first and second transverse slots are positioned to bisect the rim. The glenoid reamer can be configured to slide over a guide pin and toggle with respect to the guide pin, such that the guide pin is received in the first and second transverse slots and the reamer is substantially parallel with the guide pin. The glenoid reamer can also be configured to toggle with respect to the guide pin, such that the reamer is substantially perpendicular with respect to the guide pin.