Custom Cement Hip Spacer Mold for Infection and Pain Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current total hip arthroplasty procedures face high infection rates due to biofilm growth on metal implants, leading to costly and complicated second surgeries, and existing antibiotic spacers are either expensive or risk reinfection, with traditional cement spacers causing patient pain.
Innovation Solution
A custom cement-on-cement articulating hip spacer is created using a device with a hemispherical head and nipple to form a concave cement cast, allowing for a low-cost, customizable, and pain-reducing solution during surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional metal implants are used in total hip arthroplasty, then the procedure can be performed, but infection rate increases due to biofilm growth
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the metal implant component entirely, replacing it with a cement spacer that articulates directly with the acetabulum. This eliminates the metal surface that would otherwise support biofilm growth and reduces infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The cement spacer is designed as a temporary, disposable component that can be easily removed and replaced. It serves its purpose during the infection treatment period and can be discarded without causing harm, unlike permanent metal implants.
2Reliability
If cement spacer is implanted to treat infected total hip arthroplasty, then infection can be treated, but patient experiences pain due to cement articulating with raw acetabulum
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a protective coating or surface treatment to the cement spacer's articulating surface, creating a local quality change that reduces friction and pain during cement-bone articulation while maintaining the overall effectiveness of the infection treatment.
3Reliability
If premade antibiotic acetabular and femoral components are used, then infection can be addressed, but cost increases and reinfection risk remains
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a custom mold that replicates the patient's specific acetabular anatomy to create a personalized cement spacer. This custom copy approach reduces the need for expensive premade components and allows for optimized antibiotic incorporation, potentially reducing reinfection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the parameters of the cement spacer by incorporating specific antibiotic concentrations and adjusting the cement formulation to optimize both infection control and cost-effectiveness, moving away from standard premade components.
4Ease of manufacture
If custom cement cast is formed using the device, then low-cost and customizable solution is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: a handle for insertion, a head for molding, a circumferential lip for defining the acetabular rim, and a nipple for centering. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall design relatively simple and manufacturable.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure include a device for forming a custom cement cast of an acetabular implant for a patient. The device includes an elongated handle, and a head coupled to a proximal end of the elongated handle. The head includes a body, a circumferential lip, and a nipple. The body of the head is shaped as a spherical cap, and includes a circular base and an apex. The circumferential lip extends radially outwardly from the circular base of the body. The nipple extends from the apex of the body in a direction perpendicular to the circular base.