Disposable Bone Cutter with Guide Rod for Femoral Shaping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing orthopedic cutting tools are inefficient in shaping femoral bones for implant insertion, leading to tissue necrosis, infection risks, and improper implant fit due to dullness and reusability issues, which increase procedural time and patient trauma.

Innovation Solution

A disposable bone cutter device with a unique housing design and insert blades or cutter disc, featuring a guide rod and offset rim for precise cutting, preventing overcutting and ensuring cleanliness, is developed to efficiently shape the femoral head for joint revision surgeries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional bone cutters are reused multiple times to reduce cost, then cost effectiveness is improved, but the risk of infection increases and the cutter becomes dull leading to tissue necrosis

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutter sharpness and sterilityVSAvoidinfection risk and tissue necrosis
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a disposable bone cutter that is used once and then discarded. This eliminates the need for repeated sterilization and resharpening, ensuring the cutter remains sharp and sterile throughout its use, thereby preventing infection and tissue necrosis while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting blade is extracted as a separate replaceable component from the cutter body. This allows the blade to be independently sterilized, sharpened, or replaced without affecting the rest of the cutter assembly, enabling maintenance of cutting precision and sterility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Duration of action of stationary object

If traditional cutters are resharpened and sterilized repeatedly, then cutter longevity is improved, but the possibility of infection increases and dimensional accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutter service lifeVSAvoidcutter dimensional accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cutter is designed as a disposable single-use instrument, eliminating the need for resharpening and repeated sterilization. This ensures dimensional accuracy is maintained throughout the cutter's service life without degradation from maintenance processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutter is pre-manufactured with precise dimensions and sharp cutting edges, and pre-sterilized before use. This preliminary preparation ensures the cutter maintains its precision and sterility throughout its intended single use, without requiring subsequent maintenance that could compromise accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional cutters are used, then initial cost is reduced, but procedural time increases due to additional bone removal steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutter costVSAvoidbone cutting efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutter design merges multiple functions into a single instrument: it performs both the initial bone cutting and the final shaping in one operation. The unique blade geometry and cutting action allow the cutter to remove bone efficiently while simultaneously creating the properly shaped surface ready for implant insertion, eliminating the need for separate rongeur steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutter employs dynamic cutting elements including movable blades or a cutter disc that can adjust during operation. This allows the cutter to adapt to varying bone densities and shapes, maintaining high cutting efficiency throughout the procedure without requiring multiple tools or manual adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution provides a cost-effective, efficient, and sterile cutting process that ensures proper implant fit, reduces procedural time, and minimizes patient trauma by maintaining cutter sharpness and cleanliness.

Implementation Method 1

a series of cutting teeth slots 16 are formed within the cylinder wall thickness 18

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

designed to cut and shape the end of a long bone such as a femur or humerus

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFracture Mechanics: Fracture Mechanics

Data Source

PatentEP2387960B1Disposable cylindrical cutter
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 GREATBATCH LTD
  • EP2387960B1 patent drawingFigure 1~1A
  • EP2387960B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2387960B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A single use bone cutter comprised of two concentric cylinders and a series of insert blades or cutter disc is described. The cutter blades or cutter disc is preferably positioned at the distal end of the cutter. The bone cutter also comprises a guide rod that aids in the line of sight when using the cutter device.