Femur Preparation Instruments for Accurate Revision Knee Implant Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing orthopaedic surgical instruments for knee replacement procedures are inefficient in accurately preparing the patient's bones for implantation of prosthetic components, particularly in revision surgeries where partial or complete removal and replacement of previous prostheses is required.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising specialized surgical instruments, including reamers with depth stops and femoral trial components with augment trial components, cutting blocks, and locking mechanisms, to precisely prepare and align the patient's femur and tibia for prosthetic implantation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional orthopaedic surgical instruments are used for knee replacement procedures, then the surgical procedure can be completed, but the accuracy and efficiency of bone preparation is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebone preparation accuracyVSAvoidsurgical efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical instrument system is divided into multiple specialized components including reamers with depth stops, cutting blocks, and femoral trial components with augment trial components. Each component performs a specific function in the bone preparation process, allowing for precise control at each stage of the procedure while maintaining overall surgical efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If specialized surgical instruments with multiple components are used to improve bone preparation accuracy, then the precision of prosthetic alignment is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprosthetic alignment precisionVSAvoidinstrument system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple functional elements are integrated into unified instrument assemblies. For example, the femoral trial component combines trial components with augment trial components, and cutting blocks are integrated with guide structures. This merging reduces the number of separate instruments needed while maintaining the precision benefits of specialized components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If depth stops are added to reamers to control reaming depth, then the precision of bone preparation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereaming depth precisionVSAvoidreamer structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Depth stops are pre-positioned on the reamers at specific measurements before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary setup allows the surgeon to achieve precise reaming depth control without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms during surgery, thereby minimizing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4233773B1System for preparing a patient's femur in an orthopaedic joint replacement procedure
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 DEPUY (IRELAND) LTD
  • EP4233773B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4233773B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4233773B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

An orthopaedic joint replacement system is shown and described. The system includes a number of prosthetic components configured to be implanted into a patient's knee. The system also includes a number of surgical instruments configured for use in preparing the bones of the patient's knee to receive the implants. A method or technique for using the surgical instruments to prepare the bones is also disclosed.