Distal Femoral Resection Guide for Flexion Gap Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in accurately determining and achieving precise alignment of the tibia and femur surfaces during revision total knee arthroplasty procedures, particularly in managing the alignment and flexion gap of the knee joint during revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures, due to the complexity of matching the exterior surfaces of the tibia and femur to the interior surfaces of the prosthesis and the difficulty in maintaining proper alignment with multiple guides and templates.

Innovation Solution

A cutting guide system comprising a body with slots and orthogonal holes for precise resection planes, allowing for controlled resection of the distal femur to align with the intramedullary canal, and a flex plate to ensure proper alignment and flexion gap management, enabling accurate placement of the femoral implant.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple templates and guides are used during revision TKA procedures, then the complexity of matching surfaces increases, but the difficulty in keeping all cuts in proper alignment relative to the IM canal increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface matching capabilityVSAvoidalignment control difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple guides and templates into a single integrated cutting guide system that incorporates multiple holes for different pins, allowing all alignment references to be provided by one device rather than requiring multiple separate guides, thereby reducing the difficulty of maintaining proper alignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting guide is designed with multiple holes that can receive different pins (first pin for initial alignment, second pin for adjusted alignment), making the single guide device universally applicable to multiple alignment requirements and surface matching needs throughout the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If the femur is positioned in flexion to reduce the flexion gap, then knee balance improves, but the lack of consistent approach for controlling flexion amount makes the procedure difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveknee balanceVSAvoidflexion control consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting guide is pre-configured with holes at specific angular positions (0 degrees, 3 degrees, 6 degrees, 9 degrees) relative to the femoral axis, allowing the surgeon to pre-determine and select the appropriate flexion angle before making any cuts, ensuring consistent and controlled flexion gap reduction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide provides discrete angular parameters (0°, 3°, 6°, 9°) for flexion control, allowing systematic variation of the flexion angle to achieve proper knee balance while maintaining operational consistency through standardized angular increments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If cavernous defects are present in the bone, then prosthesis matching becomes difficult, but the complexity of matching exterior surfaces to interior surfaces increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprosthesis matching capabilityVSAvoidsurface alignment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting guide acts as an intermediary device that provides precise geometric references (holes at known angular positions) to bridge the complexity of matching irregular cavernous defect surfaces to the prosthesis interior surfaces, enabling accurate alignment despite the irregular bone anatomy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250387126A1Resection Guide And Flex Plate To Alter Distal Femoral Flexion

Publication Date: 2025.12.25 HOWMEDICA OSTEONICS CORP

AI summary

A cutting guide is provided for resecting a bone to receive an implant. The cutting guide includes a body configured to be positioned adjacent to the bone and a slot extending through the body and configured to receive a cutting edge for resecting the bone. The cutting guide further comprises a first hole extending though the body and configured to receive a pin anchored to the bone, the first hole being configured to position the slot along a first plane when the first hole is passed over the pin. The cutting guide further comprises a second hole extending though the body and configured to receive the pin anchored to the bone, the second hole being configured to position the slot along a second plane when the second hole is passed over the pin, wherein first plane is transverse to the second plane.