Controlled Force Impaction Instrument for Acetabular Liner Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing acetabular liners during hip revision arthroplasty are cumbersome, requiring multiple specific tools and tools not adapted for the task, leading to increased time, precision demands, and risks of error or further damage.
Innovation Solution
A controlled force surgical implant impaction instrument that delivers a consistent impact to loosen and remove acetabular liners from the cup, using a hammer biased by a coil spring and an actuator assembly to apply a controlled force, reducing the need for multiple tools and improving precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If osteotomes are used to remove liners, then removal can be achieved, but the procedure increases in time and precision demands while introducing risks of error and further damage
Solution Approach 1:
A controlled force impaction instrument is introduced as an intermediary tool between the surgeon and the liner removal process. This specialized instrument delivers precise, controlled impacts to the acetabular cup to facilitate liner removal, eliminating the need to use osteotomes (which are designed for bone cutting) on the liner. The intermediary instrument reduces precision demands and error risks by providing a tool specifically adapted for this task.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical action of levering and chiselling with osteotomes is replaced by a controlled impaction mechanism. The instrument uses a controlled force delivery system with a spring-loaded hammer that provides consistent, predetermined impacts to the acetabular cup, substituting the imprecise manual levering action with a more controlled mechanical system that reduces error risk.
2Reliability
If company and/or device specific removal instruments are used, then locking mechanisms can be disengaged, but the number of specific parts and instruments required increases thus increasing instrumentation costs
Solution Approach 1:
The controlled force impaction instrument is designed as a universal tool that can be used across different prosthesis types and manufacturers. Rather than requiring company-specific removal instruments for each locking mechanism design, this single multi-functional instrument can disengage various locking mechanisms through its controlled impact delivery system, reducing the total number of specific parts needed in the surgical tray.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple specialized removal functions are merged into a single instrument. The controlled force impaction instrument combines the capabilities of leveraging, impacting, and controlled force application that were previously distributed across multiple device-specific tools. This consolidation reduces instrumentation complexity and cost while maintaining the ability to disengage various locking mechanisms.
3Reliability
If osteotomes are used to remove liners, then removal can be achieved, but tools not necessarily specially adapted to the goal are employed introducing risks for error
Solution Approach 1:
A specialized controlled force impaction instrument serves as an intermediary tool specifically adapted for liner removal. This instrument is designed with features tailored to the task: a contact surface that distributes force appropriately, a controlled delivery mechanism that prevents excessive impact, and a form factor suited for access in the surgical field. This specialized intermediary tool eliminates the need to use general-purpose osteotomes for which the liner removal task is not optimally suited.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument incorporates local quality features specifically adapted to the liner removal task. The contact surface geometry, force delivery characteristics, and structural properties are locally optimized for applying controlled impacts to the acetabular cup without damaging the liner or surrounding tissue. This localized adaptation of tool properties ensures high reliability and appropriateness for the specific removal task.
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
Facilitates efficient and precise removal of acetabular liners with fewer tools, minimizing tissue damage and procedural time, while reducing the risk of errors associated with using non-specific tools.
Implementation Method 1
a hammer biased by a coil spring
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A controlled force surgical implant impaction instrument includes a striking assembly, a retaining pin, and an actuator component. The retaining pin is moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the retaining pin inhibits distal movement of the striking assembly. In the second position, the retaining pin does not inhibit distal movement of the striking assembly. The actuator component includes a reloading channel. The actuator component is movable between a third position and a fourth position. In the third position, the retaining pin is in the first position and the retaining pin cannot be forced along the reloading channel. In the fourth position, the striking assembly can be used to move the retaining pin along the reloading channel.