Cranium Bracing Strut Adapter for Stable Surgical Head Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head-holding systems for surgical procedures, such as those involving deep brain stimulation, are cumbersome and difficult to handle due to their bulkiness and lack of efficient connection to medical appliances, leading to challenges in maintaining a stable spatial position of the patient's head.
Innovation Solution
A cranium bracing system comprising a strut mount adapter and a bracing strut, which rigidly connects to the patient's cranium and medical appliances, allowing for precise alignment and adjustable engagement, with features like snap-fit connections and overload protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional U-shaped head-clamps with multiple pins and heavy mobile trolleys are used to hold the patient's head, then the head can be secured in a fixed spatial position, but the system becomes bulky and difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The bracing system is divided into separate modular components: a cranium hole base member that interfaces with the skull, a bracing strut that provides structural support, and a mounting interface that connects to medical appliances. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier handling and positioning compared to monolithic traditional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracing strut acts as an intermediary element that rigidly connects the cranium hole base member (attached to the patient's head) to the medical appliances (such as articulated support arms). This intermediary structure provides stable head positioning while allowing the system to be manipulated through the appliance interfaces, improving ease of operation.
2Reliability
If traditional head-holding systems are used, then head positioning can be achieved, but the connection to medical appliances is inefficient and the system is cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting interface of the bracing system is designed with universal compatibility features that allow connection to various types of medical appliances and support structures. The standardized interface enables the same bracing system to work with different surgical instruments and positioning devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable head positioning.
3Measurement precision
If a rigid connection system is implemented to maintain spatial position, then positioning precision is improved, but the system becomes more complex and less adaptable
Solution Approach 1:
The bracing system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements that allow the rigid connection to be adapted to different surgical configurations and patient anatomies. The mounting interface and strut connections can be adjusted to achieve optimal positioning precision while maintaining versatility for various surgical procedures and appliance types.
Data Source
AI summary
A cranium bracing system includes a strut mount adapter and a bracing strut, wherein the strut mount adapter is adapted to connect the bracing strut to a cranium hole base member which is rigidly connected to a patient's cranium. The strut mount adapter includes a first connecting section with one or more engaging members configured to engage with the correspondingly formed cranium hole base member to fixedly connect the strut mount adapter to the cranium hole base member. The strut mount adapter further includes a second connecting section configured to engage with a correspondingly formed connecting section of the bracing strut to connect the strut mount adapter to the bracing strut, and a passage extending through the strut mount adapter and having a first passage opening at the first connecting section and an opposed second passage opening.