Cut Guide Light Indicator for Bone Resection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cut guides for orthopaedic procedures lack a reliable visual indication system to accurately guide surgeons during bone resection and reshaping for implant placement, leading to potential inaccuracies in cut plane alignment and positioning.
Innovation Solution
A light-emitting device, such as a laser, is integrated into a cut guide or used as a separate cut plane indicator device to project a visual cue onto the bone, providing a secure and adjustable alignment along the guide direction, enabling precise visualization of the cut plane for surgeons during orthopaedic procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional cut guides are used without visual indication systems, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision and measurement precision of bone cuts deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment verification methods with an optical indication system. A light source projects a visible beam through the guide instrument's reference features onto the bone surface, allowing surgeons to visually confirm cut plane alignment without complex mechanical measurement devices. This optical substitution maintains high precision while managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical intermediary (light beam) that bridges the guide instrument and the bone surface. The light beam serves as a visual mediator that translates the internal alignment geometry of the guide instrument into an externally visible indication on the bone, enabling precise alignment verification without direct mechanical contact or complex measurement apparatus.
2Measurement precision
If conventional cut guides without visual indicators are used, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the measurement precision of bone cut alignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes visible light projection to create a visual indication on the bone surface. The light beam provides a clear, high-contrast visual cue that is easily distinguishable against the bone surface, allowing surgeons to quickly and accurately verify cut plane alignment without requiring complex measurement procedures or specialized training.
3Measurement precision
If a light-emitting device is integrated into the cut guide, then the measurement precision of cut plane indication is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the guide instrument to serve multiple functions: mechanical guidance for the cutting tool and optical indication for alignment verification. By integrating the light source and optical pathways into the existing guide structure, the instrument becomes a multi-functional device that provides both mechanical and visual guidance, reducing the need for separate alignment devices and managing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The light-emitting device enhances the accuracy and precision of bone cuts by providing a clear visual indication of the cut plane, allowing surgeons to confirm the depth, angle, and position of cuts, thereby improving the consistency and reliability of orthopaedic surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a light-emitting device securable to the guide instrument in a secured position such that an output of the light-emitting device is projected along the guide direction
Data Source
AI summary
Instruments for use in resecting, reshaping, and preparing the end of a bone to receive an implant. The instruments may be equipped with indicator devices in the form of light-emitting devices to project an indicator onto the bone. Examples of such instruments may be a cut guide equipped with a built-in cut plane indicator device and a cut plane indicator device for use with existing cut guides. The cut plane indicator device may provide a visual indication or cue on a surface of the bone indicating where the cut plane of the cut guide will intersect the bone.