Convex Intermediate Segment for Joint Component Anchorage
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Solution Overview
Problem
During artificial joint replacement surgery, insufficient bone tissue often results in a concave implantation area of the joint component being partially or completely surrounded by bone tissue, making optimal anchoring difficult and requiring additional measures like bone cement, which can compromise bone growth and increase surgical costs.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate segment with a convex side is introduced to bridge the concave implantation area of the joint component and the bone tissue, featuring a locking mechanism with movable resting elements that can be securely attached to the joint component, allowing for adjustable fitting during surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bone tissue is built up before or during implantation to fill empty space, then stable anchorage is achieved, but bone tissue supply is impaired when concave implantation surface encloses bone tissue
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a concave implantation surface that encloses bone tissue (which impairs blood supply), the patent inverts the geometry to use a convex implantation surface that protrudes into the empty space. This convex surface builds up bone tissue in a way that maintains exposure to surrounding tissue, ensuring continuous blood supply while achieving stable anchorage through the protruding geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different geometric qualities to different parts of the implantation surface. The convex portions protrude into empty space to provide anchorage, while maintaining overall exposure of the bone tissue to surrounding biological environment for nutrient supply. This local differentiation of geometry optimizes both fixation and tissue viability.
2Reliability
If empty spaces are filled with bone cement, then fixation is achieved, but bone ingrowth fixation is no longer possible and larger volumes of bone cement are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bone cement from the empty spaces by using a convex implantation surface geometry that naturally fills the voids through its protruding structure. This eliminates or reduces the need for bone cement while maintaining fixation, and preserves the ability of bone tissue to grow into the implantation site for biological fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The convex implantation surface acts as an intermediary structure between the joint component and the bone tissue. Instead of using bone cement as a mediator to fill empty spaces, the convex geometry itself serves as the intermediate structure that provides both mechanical support and facilitates bone ingrowth, eliminating the need for additional cement volume.
3Reliability
If larger volumes of bone cement are used to fill empty spaces, then fixation is achieved, but surrounding bone tissue is exposed to higher temperatures for longer periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes or reduces the bone cement volume by using convex implantation surface geometry to naturally fill empty spaces. This extraction of excess cement directly reduces the source of thermal energy, thereby minimizing temperature exposure to surrounding bone tissue during and after implantation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a joint component is individually adapted to the patient, then optimal fit is achieved, but costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal joint component design with convex implantation surfaces that can adapt to various patient anatomies and empty space configurations. The convex geometry provides inherent adaptability to different bone structures without requiring custom manufacturing for each patient, thereby maintaining cost-effectiveness while achieving optimal fit through geometric versatility rather than individual customization.
Data Source
Figure 1~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to an intermediate segment (20) for an arrangement between a concave implantation surface (14) of a joint component (10), in particular a femoral prosthesis, and bone tissue. In this case, the intermediate segment (20) has an intermediate segment body (23) with at least one side (24, 25) facing the joint component (10), wherein one side (24) of the at least one side facing the joint component is convex. In addition, the intermediate segment (20) comprises a locking mechanism for attaching the intermediate segment to the joint component with at least one first (21) and a second (32) locking element, at least one of the locking elements (21, 32) being movable. The present invention also relates to a joint component (10) having an intermediate segment (20) and to a method for fastening an intermediate segment (20) to a joint component (10).