Minimally Invasive Bone Reduction Instrument with Expandable Working Head

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for reducing bone fractures, especially peri-articular and intra-articular fractures, face challenges with open reduction procedures that result in significant tissue damage, joint stiffness, and limited effectiveness with percutaneous techniques due to the small contact area and unidirectional motion of existing bone punches, which are inadequate for complex fractures.

Innovation Solution

The development of instruments with a working head that can transition between insertion and working configurations, allowing for minimally invasive access through small openings, enabling multi-directional manipulation and stabilization of bone fragments using arthroscopic or radiographic visualization, with a broad working face for effective reduction and stabilization of bone fragments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If open reduction procedures are used to reduce bone fractures, then precise reduction and stabilization can be achieved, but significant tissue damage, soft tissue necrosis, and joint stiffness occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereduction precisionVSAvoidtissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary instrument system that acts as a mediator between the surgeon and the bone fracture. This instrument includes a working head with a broad working face that can be inserted through a minimally invasive access passage, allowing reduction manipulation without direct open access to the fracture site, thereby achieving precise reduction while minimizing tissue damage and soft tissue necrosis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional open mechanical reduction system with a minimally invasive percutaneous system. Instead of using large incisions and direct manual manipulation, the instrument uses a specialized working head with a broad working face that can be inserted through small openings, substituting the mechanical action of open reduction with a controlled percutaneous approach that reduces tissue trauma

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If percutaneous techniques with bone punches are used to avoid open reduction, then some tissue damage is avoided, but the small contact area and unidirectional motion limit effectiveness with complex fractures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue damageVSAvoidmanipulation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the working head configurable between different operational states. The working head can be positioned in an insertion configuration for minimally invasive access and then transitioned to a working configuration where the broad working face is deployed for manipulation. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the instrument to adapt to complex fracture patterns while maintaining minimally invasive access, overcoming the limitations of static bone punches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dimensional change by expanding the working face area perpendicular to the insertion direction. The working head has a broad working face that extends in dimensions transverse to the access passage, allowing engagement with larger and more complex bone fracture surfaces. This dimensional expansion enables manipulation of comminuted and complex fractures while maintaining the minimally invasive insertion path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Area of stationary object

If larger diameter bone punches are used to increase contact area, then better fracture engagement is achieved, but larger diameter bone openings are required creating stress fractures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact areaVSAvoidstress fractures

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the instrument into two distinct functional components: a narrow insertion portion that passes through the minimally invasive access passage without creating stress fractures, and a broad working face portion that provides sufficient contact area for fracture engagement. This segmentation allows the instrument to have different diameters at different locations, eliminating the trade-off between contact area and stress fracture risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7442195B1Apparatus and method for the reduction of bone fractures

Publication Date: 2008.10.28 BEHRENS ALFRED F

AI summary

Reduction of a bone fragment of a bone fracture at a bone fracture site is accomplished through a minimally invasive access passage utilizing instruments having a working head actuated from a location remote from the bone fracture site, between an insertion configuration dimensioned and configured to present a minimal cross-sectional area for ready passage through the minimally invasive access passage and a working configuration dimensioned and configured to establish an essentially rigid working face of substantially greater cross-sectional area than the minimal cross-sectional area. The working head is actuated into the working configuration and manipulated from the remote location while in the working configuration to engage the working face with the bone fragment and manipulate the bone fragment into an anatomically appropriate reduced position at the bone fracture site.