Expandable Open Wedge Implant for Osteotomy Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing open wedge osteotomies face challenges in stabilizing the bone with a properly sized wedge-like opening during healing, as surgeons struggle to select implants that match patient anatomy and correction needs, and implants are often procedure-specific.
Innovation Solution
An expandable open wedge implant with a wedge body comprising first and second expandable portions connected by a distal attachment, featuring an expander and a proximal screw to adjust the wedge angle and thickness, allowing for customizable fit and stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size wedge-shaped implant is used in open wedge osteotomy, then the implant can be inserted into the bone opening, but it is difficult to match the implant size to patient anatomy and correction needs
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates an expandable mechanism that allows the wedge angle and thickness to be adjusted after insertion. The expandable portion can be expanded using an expander device, transforming the implant from a fixed configuration to an adjustable one, thereby adapting to different patient anatomies and correction requirements without requiring multiple pre-sized implants.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant design allows changing of critical parameters (wedge angle and thickness) after insertion through the expansion mechanism. This enables the surgeon to adjust the implant parameters to match the specific correction needed, rather than being constrained to pre-determined fixed sizes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a procedure-specific wedge-shaped implant is used, then the implant can be optimized for a specific osteotomy procedure, but multiple different implant configurations are required for different procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable implant design provides a universal solution that can accommodate multiple different osteotomy procedures. By allowing adjustment of wedge angle and thickness, a single implant type can be adapted for use in various procedures (e.g., Evans procedure, Cotton procedure, tibial osteotomy), eliminating the need for multiple procedure-specific implant configurations.
3Ease of operation
If a fixed wedge angle implant is used, then the implant structure is simple, but the surgeon cannot make minor adjustments to match the desired correction
Solution Approach 1:
The implant transitions from a static fixed-angle design to a dynamic adjustable design through the expansion mechanism. The expandable portion allows minor adjustments to the wedge angle after insertion, providing surgical precision while maintaining relative structural simplicity through the use of an expansion screw or similar mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus is provided for an open wedge implant 100 for open wedge osteotomies. The open wedge implant 100 comprises a wedge body 104 including a first expandable portion 124 and a second expandable portion 128 connected together by way of an intervening distal attachment. An expander 108 is configured to separate the first and second expandable portions 124, 128 so as to increase a proximal thickness and a wedge angle of the wedge body 104. A proximal screw 112 is configured to move the expander 108 within the wedge body 104. Tightening the proximal screw 112 draws the expander 108 distally into the wedge body 104, thereby changing the open wedge implant 100 from an initial, narrow wedge angle to an expanded wedge angle. In some embodiments, the open wedge implant 100 is adapted for use in osteotomies performed in the feet, such as an Evans Procedure for lateral column lengthening, a Cotton Procedure for medial cuneiform opening wedge osteotomy, and the like.