Chamfer Guide and Trial Tool for Faster Talus Preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing total ankle arthroplasty procedures require numerous surgical tools and steps, leading to prolonged surgeries and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
Development of multi-purpose surgical tools, including a talar dome trial, chamfer guides, and resection guides, which integrate cutting and guiding functions to streamline the preparation of the talus, reducing the number of components and steps required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate surgical tools are used for talus preparation, then each tool can be optimized for its specific function, but the number of components increases and surgical time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate surgical tools into a single integrated multi-purpose tool. The base component integrates bone engagement surface, cutting guide slots, and alignment features. The arm component adds positioning capabilities and additional cutting guidance. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate tools while maintaining all necessary functions for talus preparation, directly resolving the contradiction between functional optimization and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-purpose tool is designed to perform multiple functions: the base component provides bone engagement and initial cutting guidance, while the arm component enables positioning and additional cutting operations. The tool can guide different cutting tools through various slots for different preparation steps, making a single tool universal for multiple surgical functions, thereby reducing component count while maintaining functional reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If numerous surgical steps are performed, then each step can be executed with precision, but the overall surgical time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base component is pre-configured with cutting guide slots and alignment features that establish the correct positioning and orientation before cutting begins. The arm component is pre-positioned to provide additional guidance. This preliminary setup of guidance paths ensures precision cutting can be achieved without requiring multiple separate positioning steps, thereby improving surgical efficiency while maintaining cutting precision.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate tools are manufactured, then each tool can be optimized for its specific manufacturing process, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple separate tools into a single multi-purpose tool, the patent reduces the total quantity of components that need to be manufactured, stored, and managed. Although the integrated tool may have complex geometry, consolidating functions into one component reduces overall manufacturing costs by eliminating redundant materials and simplifying the supply chain, directly addressing the contradiction between process optimization and manufacturing cost.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical tool includes a handle and a trial section coupled to the handle by an engagement section. The trial section includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface has a shape that corresponds to an upper surface of an implant. The trial section defines a first slot extending from the upper surface to the lower surface and inwardly from a first side. A second slot extends from the upper surface to the lower surface and inwardly from a second side.