Patient-Specific Alignment Guide Femoral Resurfacing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic implants and alignment guides lack patient-specific customization, leading to potential inaccuracies in positioning and fitting during surgical procedures, particularly for femoral resurfacing or replacement procedures.
Innovation Solution
A patient-specific alignment guide with a three-dimensional engagement surface that anatomically matches the femoral joint surface, comprising a frame with movable arms and disposable clamping portions, allowing for precise positioning and guiding of surgical instruments during orthopedic procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a patient-specific alignment guide with a three-dimensional engagement surface is used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment guide is divided into separate functional components: a reusable frame structure and disposable clamping portions. Each clamping portion can be independently customized for different patients while the frame remains standardized, allowing for patient-specific positioning accuracy without requiring complete custom manufacturing of the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement surfaces of the clamping portions are designed with patient-specific three-dimensional geometries that locally adapt to individual femoral anatomy, while the overall frame structure maintains uniform, standardized properties. This allows customization only where needed for precision fitting.
2Ease of manufacture
If a reusable frame with disposable clamping portions is used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping portions are designed as disposable, single-use components that are discarded after the surgical procedure. This eliminates the need to sterilize and maintain complex custom-fit components, simplifying manufacturing processes while the reusable frame absorbs the cost investment.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable clamping portions are discarded after use, while the reusable frame is cleaned, sterilized, and prepared for the next patient. This separates the high-cost, high-complexity manufacturing from the low-cost, single-use components, improving overall ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic apparatus includes an alignment guide attachable to one of a femoral joint surface of a femur of a patient. The alignment guide has a patient-specific three-dimensional engagement surface, and at least one guiding portion defining a guiding passage. The engagement surface anatomically matches a corresponding portion of the femoral joint surface.