Digital Bone Depth Probe With Neuromonitoring for Accurate Screw Sizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone depth gauges used in orthopedic surgeries face challenges such as difficulty in reading small, reflective markings, inaccurate measurements due to tilting, and loss of securement during reading, which can lead to incorrect screw lengths and potential tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A medical device combining a bone probe with a flexible or semi-rigid shaft and a depth gauge member that provides digital measurements, allowing tactile examination of hole interiors and using sensors to generate electronic signals for accurate depth determination, reducing reliance on visual alignment and interpretation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional depth gauges with small reflective markings are used, then the device structure remains simple, but reading accuracy deteriorates due to difficulty in visualizing the markings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/optical reading system (graduated markings on a gauge) with an electronic sensing system. Sensors detect the position of the gauge relative to the bone surface and convert this mechanical position into an electronic signal that is displayed digitally. This substitution eliminates the need for visual alignment with small reflective markings while providing more accurate and easier-to-read measurements.
2Ease of operation
If the surgeon tilts the depth gauge to achieve proper viewing angle, then visual reading becomes possible, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to tilting errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the position and orientation of the depth gauge. When the gauge is tilted, the sensor detects this deviation and provides feedback (either by alerting the surgeon or by compensating for the tilt in the measurement calculation). This feedback mechanism allows the surgeon to maintain a comfortable viewing angle while ensuring measurement accuracy is preserved through real-time position monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If the surgeon releases the depth gauge to read the markings, then visual alignment improves, but securement is lost leading to potential measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the depth gauge to provide its own reading without requiring the surgeon to manually align or release the gauge. The sensor system automatically detects the gauge position and generates a digital display that updates in real-time. This self-service capability eliminates the need for the surgeon to manipulate the gauge for reading purposes, maintaining securement while providing accurate measurements through the electronic display system.
4Measurement precision
If digital sensors are integrated into the depth gauge, then measurement accuracy and ease of reading improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into the depth gauge device. The same sensor system that measures depth also potentially monitors orientation, and the electronic display can show multiple parameters simultaneously. By combining these functions into a single integrated device rather than separate tools, the overall system complexity is managed while achieving improved measurement capabilities and ease of use.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device configured to provide a faster and more accurate measurement of depths of holes for placement of bone screws and fastener for bone implant fixation procedures. The device includes a combination of a bone probe for physical examination of a hole drilled in a bone and a depth gauge member for determining a depth of the hole and providing digital measurement of the depth via a display on the instrument and/or via a wireless exchange of measurement data to a remote computing device, such as a tablet or smartphone. The device may further be connected to a separate neuromonitoring device and be used for nerve sensing and/or nerve stimulation by way of the bone probe. For example, the bone probe may include a conductive material such that the distal probe tip acts as an extension of the neuromonitoring device and may be used to sense and/or stimulate nerves.