Drill Electrode System for Real-Time Bone Quality Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing bone structure quality, particularly porosity, during surgical interventions are either invasive, painful, or provide only global and non-real-time information, which can lead to inadequate anchoring of implants and increased surgical risks due to the inability to continuously monitor bone quality during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a body for drilling with electrodes that apply an electric current and measure conductivity in real-time, allowing for continuous and local assessment of bone porosity by determining the ability of the bone structure to pass electric current, enabling immediate and accurate evaluation of bone quality during surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If non-invasive techniques like DEXA or impedance measurement are used to assess bone quality, then the examination is painless and rapid, but only global information is obtained without local detail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bone structure assessment into local regions by placing multiple electrodes at specific positions on the bone surface. Each electrode pair measures impedance in a localized area, enabling spatial mapping of bone quality rather than a single global measurement. This segmentation allows identification of heterogeneous bone quality across different vertebrae or regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements local quality assessment by measuring impedance at multiple discrete locations on the bone surface using arrays of electrodes. Each measurement point provides information about the local bone density and composition, allowing the system to generate a spatial map of bone quality that identifies regions of interest for surgical intervention.
2Loss of information
If bone biopsy is performed to obtain local bone quality information, then local assessment is achieved, but the procedure becomes painful and requires additional intervention time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses electrical impedance measurement as an intermediary method to assess bone quality without direct tissue sampling. The electrodes act as mediators that interact with the bone's electrical properties (conductivity related to water and mineral content) to infer bone quality, avoiding the need for painful biopsy procedures while still providing local assessment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical biopsy procedure (physical removal of bone tissue) with an electrical measurement system. Instead of mechanically extracting bone samples for analysis, the system uses electrical impedance measurements to non-invasively assess bone quality, eliminating the harms associated with surgical biopsy while maintaining local assessment capability.
3Loss of time
If preoperative bone quality assessment is performed using existing techniques, then bone density is measured before surgery, but the information is not available in real-time during the surgical procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static preoperative assessment into a dynamic intraoperative monitoring system. The impedance measurement device can be integrated into the surgical instrument (e.g., drill or implant device), allowing continuous or repeated measurements during the surgical procedure. This enables real-time feedback on bone quality as the surgeon progresses through different vertebral levels or drilling locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a multi-functional surgical system that combines drilling/implantation capabilities with integrated impedance measurement. The same surgical instrument serves both mechanical functions (drilling, implant placement) and diagnostic functions (bone quality assessment), eliminating the need for separate preoperative and intraoperative assessment procedures.
4Loss of information
If multiple vertebrae are assessed individually for bone quality, then local heterogeneity is captured, but the number of measurements and procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary assessment of multiple vertebral levels during the natural course of surgery without requiring separate measurement procedures. By integrating the impedance measurement into the surgical instrument, the system automatically or semi-automatically measures bone quality at each level as the surgeon progresses, capturing heterogeneity information without adding procedural steps or 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
Enables real-time, local, and continuous monitoring of bone quality, reducing surgical risks by providing immediate feedback on bone porosity, thus optimizing implant placement and post-surgical bone fusion processes.
Implementation Method 1
a measuring device adapted to continuously measure, over a determined duration, the voltage of the electric current passing through the bone structure between the contact surfaces of the first and second electrodes
Data Source
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Figure 5~6b
AI summary
The invention relates to a system (1) for determining the quality of a bone structure (2), comprising: a body adapted for drilling through the bone structure; a first electrode (11) arranged on the body so as to come into contact with the bone structure (2) during drilling; a second electrode (12) arranged on the body so as to come into contact with the bone structure (2) at a distance from the first electrode (11) during drilling; an electric generator (23) adapted to apply an electric current between the first (11) and second (12) electrodes for a pre-determined period of time; a measuring device (24) adapted to measure the electric current, continuously and over the pre-determined period; and a processing device (28) adapted (i) to determine, continuously and over the pre-determined period, an electrical magnitude representative of the aptitude of the bone structure (2) for allowing electric current to pass therethrough and (ii) to deliver, continuously and over the pre-determined period, a signal representative of the quality of the bone structure (2) between the contact surfaces of the first (11) and second (12) electrodes, using the determined electrical magnitude.