Custom Intra-articular Ligament Reconstruction Guide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current ligament reconstruction surgeries face challenges with inaccurate placement of bone tunnels due to reliance on landmark recognition or computer navigation, leading to non-anatomic restoration of knee kinematics and potential graft failure.
Innovation Solution
A custom surgical guide is created using preoperative MRI images to accurately conform to the patient's unique anatomy, allowing for precise placement of bone tunnels without navigation, utilizing a tooling guide that fits the interstitial space between bones and is adapted to the joint's anatomy for accurate ligament reconstruction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If landmark recognition or computer navigation is used for tunnel placement, then surgical guidance is provided, but placement accuracy deteriorates due to anatomical variations
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical guide is fabricated before surgery based on preoperative imaging (CT or MRI) that captures the patient's unique anatomy. This preliminary action allows the guide to be customized to the specific anatomical variations of each patient, ensuring accurate tunnel placement without relying on intraoperative landmark recognition or navigation systems that may fail due to anatomical differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical guide creates a physical copy or replica of the patient's unique anatomical structures based on preoperative imaging data. By fabricating a guide that mirrors the specific geometry of the patient's bones and ligament attachments, the system transfers the precision of preoperative planning directly to intraoperative execution, eliminating errors from real-time anatomical variation.
2Manufacturing precision
If custom surgical guides are fabricated based on patient anatomy, then placement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary fabrication process that translates complex anatomical data from imaging studies into a simplified physical guide structure. This intermediary step uses standardized manufacturing techniques (such as 3D printing or CNC machining) to convert detailed anatomical models into functional surgical guides with integrated drilling guides and alignment features, bridging the gap between complex anatomy and simple intraoperative application.
3Ease of operation
If traditional landmark-based guidance is used, then surgical procedure is simplified, but tunnel placement accuracy deteriorates leading to graft failure
Solution Approach 1:
The custom surgical guide is self-aligning and self-guiding, designed to automatically position itself correctly on the patient's anatomy without requiring complex navigation systems or expert landmark identification. The guide incorporates features such as complementary shapes that fit only one correct position, self-centering mechanisms, and integrated drilling guides that automatically maintain proper angle and depth, allowing even less experienced surgeons to achieve precise tunnel placement consistently.
Data Source
AI summary
Custom surgical guides based on the patient's unique anatomy that can be quickly and accurately applied intra-operatively without navigation are disclosed. The device is created using preoperative MRI images and uniquely conforms to the bone in the region of the desired tunnel. The images are filtered and used to generate computerized three dimensional models of the patient's anatomy. The models can be introduced through a portal and applied to the bone denuded of soft tissue.