Patient-Specific Cranial Bone Positioning Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skull positioning devices for correcting deformities rely on average skull models, leading to suboptimal results due to significant individual variations, requiring manual adjustments by surgeons.
Innovation Solution
A cranial bone section positioning device tailored to individual patient data, featuring a support structure with an intersecting line design, allowing for precise adaptation of deformed skull sections to a personalized target shape, reducing the need for manual adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an average skull model is used for positioning, then the device can be standardized and manufactured generally, but the positioning precision deteriorates due to individual variations in skull shape
Solution Approach 1:
Patient-specific 3D data is collected and processed before surgery to create a customized positioning device. The device is manufactured in advance with the exact geometry matching the patient's skull, eliminating the need for intraoperative adjustments and ensuring precise positioning from the start
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device is customized to match the specific local geometry of the patient's skull. By using patient-specific 3D data, the device incorporates unique anatomical features and variations, ensuring that each region of the skull is positioned accurately according to its individual characteristics rather than an average model
2Device complexity
If a standardized positioning device is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to individual patient anatomy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
All customization and adaptation work is performed before manufacturing using patient-specific 3D imaging data. The positioning device is designed and manufactured in advance with the exact geometry required for that specific patient, transferring the complexity to the preoperative planning phase rather than the manufacturing phase
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device is created as a precise digital and physical copy of the patient's specific skull geometry. By using patient-specific 3D data to generate an exact replica or adaptation of their anatomy, the device achieves perfect adaptability without requiring complex manual customization during surgery
3Ease of manufacture
If manual adjustments are required during surgery, then the positioning device can be simple and quick to manufacture, but the surgical time and skill requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device is fully customized and manufactured before surgery using patient-specific 3D data. This preliminary customization eliminates the need for manual adjustments during surgery, reducing surgical time and eliminating the dependency on surgeon skill for precise positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device is designed to be self-aligning and self-positioning based on the patient's unique anatomy. The customized geometry automatically guides the surgical instruments to the correct positions without requiring manual adjustment by the surgeon, making the system self-sufficient and reducing surgical complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a positioning device (1) for cranial bone sections, for relative positioning of the cranial bone sections relative to each other and for obtaining a predefined overall shape and overall contour in order to achieve a target cranial shape, having a primary body (2) designed to bear the cranial bone sections, wherein the primary body (2) is produced based on individual patient data, which are specific for the patient to be treated, and supplemented by modified, anatomical data. The invention furthermore relates to a production method for producing such a positioning device (1). The invention also relates to a system consisting of the positioning device (1) according to the invention and a cranial bone fixing device (16).