Integrated Cement Restrictor with Wireless Pressure Transducer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current cement restrictors for hip arthroplasty procedures lack effective means to monitor and control the pressure of bone cement at the distal end of the femoral canal, leading to potential uncontrolled cement flow and infiltration.
Innovation Solution
A cement restrictor equipped with a pressure transducer and transmitter that wirelessly communicates the pressure data to a remote receiver, allowing real-time monitoring and adjustment of cement pressure during injection, preventing cement flow into undrilled portions of the medullary canal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cement restrictor is placed at the distal end of the medullary canal to block cement flow, then cement infiltration is controlled, but real-time pressure monitoring capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cement restrictor function with a pressure transducer and wireless transmitter into a single integrated device. The restrictor body houses the pressure sensing elements and electronic components, allowing simultaneous cement flow blocking and pressure monitoring without requiring separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless transmitter as an intermediary component that bridges the pressure transducer inside the restrictor and the external monitoring system. This intermediary enables pressure data transmission through the restrictor wall and surrounding cement without compromising the seal or requiring additional access points in the medullary canal.
2Measurement precision
If a pressure transducer is integrated into the cement restrictor, then real-time pressure monitoring is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cement restrictor is designed to perform multiple functions: mechanical cement flow blocking, pressure sensing, and wireless data transmission. By integrating these functions into a single device, the patent reduces the number of separate components needed in the surgical procedure while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure transducer and electronic components are localized within specific chambers and compartments of the restrictor body. This localized integration allows complex functionality to be concentrated in specific regions without requiring the entire restrictor structure to be overly complicated, maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
3Loss of information
If wireless transmission components are added to the restrictor, then pressure data can be transmitted remotely, but power source requirements increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a wireless power transfer system where an external transmitting coil induces current in an internal receiving coil within the restrictor. This self-powered approach eliminates the need for batteries or wired power connections, allowing the device to generate its own power on-demand from the external electromagnetic field.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical power delivery methods (batteries, wired connections) with electromagnetic induction for wireless power transfer. This substitution eliminates moving parts and physical power sources within the implant, reducing mechanical complexity while enabling continuous operation of the pressure monitoring system.
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
Enables precise control and monitoring of bone cement pressure at the distal end of the femoral canal, preventing excessive cement infiltration and ensuring secure implantation of hip stems by providing surgeons with real-time feedback for optimal cement pressurization.
Implementation Method 1
The pressure transducer may read the pressure of the surrounding bone cement and generate an output pressure signal indicative of that pressure
Implementation Method 2
The transmitter may then transmit this pressure signal to the remote receiver
Implementation Method 3
The power source may be a battery or a ferrite coil configured to produce an electric current when subjected to a magnetic field
Implementation Method 4
The power source may also be a radio frequency transducer configured to produce an electric current in response to radio waves
Data Source
AI summary
A cement restrictor for use in surgical procedures such as total hip replacement, for example, includes a pressure transducer and a transmitter electrically coupled to the pressure transducer. The cement restrictor is configured to be placed at a distal end of a pre-drilled bone canal in a patient's femur, for example, such that the pressure transducer may generate an output signal in response to the presence of bone cement injected into the bone canal and around the cement restrictor. The transmitter is configured to transmit this output pressure signal to an external receiver outside the patient's body.