Customized Patient-Specific Bone Cutting Blocks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopaedic surgical instruments are generic and do not account for individual patient anatomy, leading to challenges in accurately positioning and sizing during joint arthroplasty procedures, which can result in suboptimal implant placement and increased surgical complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method for creating customized patient-specific orthopaedic instruments by receiving patient-specific data, such as medical images, to generate a surgical design plan that includes preoperatively planned bone chip sizes and shapes, allowing for the fabrication of tailored cutting blocks and guides that match the patient's anatomy, reducing the need for intra-operative guesswork and improving precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If generic orthopaedic surgical instruments are used, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision and measurement precision deteriorate due to inability to account for individual patient anatomy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing preoperative planning and creating customized surgical instruments before the actual surgery. Medical images are acquired and processed to create patient-specific 3D models, and cutting blocks are fabricated in advance based on these models. This allows precise measurement and planning of bone resection dimensions before surgery, improving manufacturing precision while managing device complexity through advance preparation.
2Measurement precision
If customized patient-specific instruments are fabricated, then manufacturing precision and measurement precision are improved, but productivity deteriorates due to individualized fabrication processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the dimensions and geometry of cutting blocks based on patient-specific parameters extracted from medical images. The system calculates specific bone chip size parameters (length, width, thickness) and uses these to generate customized cutting block designs. This allows measurement precision to be improved while productivity is managed through systematic parameter-based design rather than completely custom fabrication for each patient.
3Productivity
If generic instruments are used, then productivity is improved through standardized procedures, but measurement precision deteriorates leading to suboptimal implant placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the surgical instrument into modular components, particularly the cutting block which is segmented to match specific anatomical regions. The cutting block is designed with specific geometries that correspond to predetermined resection planes and bone chip dimensions. This segmentation allows for improved measurement precision in critical areas while maintaining productivity through standardized modular components that can be systematically applied.
Data Source
AI summary
A number of orthopedic surgical instruments are also disclosed. A method, apparatus, and system for fabricating such instruments are also disclosed.