Fixator Configuration via Kinematic Chain Equations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic fixator devices require complex configurations and manual measurements for deformity correction, which are time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when dealing with skeletal injuries or deformities that need gradual adjustments over six degrees of freedom.
Innovation Solution
A method that transforms readily available orthopedic data into parameters to configure a fixator with six degrees of freedom, using a system of simultaneous equations to solve for kinematic chain settings, reducing the need for manual measurements by characterizing mounting conditions through digital imaging and processing x-ray images to determine the necessary adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual measurements are used to characterize deformity and configure fixator, then the process is straightforward and reliable, but it is time-consuming and prone to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with an automated computer-based system that uses digital imaging and mathematical algorithms to characterize deformity and calculate fixator parameters, thereby improving precision while reducing time and human error
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital representation (copy) of the patient's anatomy through imaging data and uses computational models to replicate the deformity characterization process, allowing for rapid and precise analysis without repeated manual measurements
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex configurations are used to address all six degrees of freedom, then the fixator can correct any deformity, but the device complexity and configuration time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from physical device reconfiguration to mathematical parameter calculation, where the computer system determines the optimal fixator configuration parameters based on the characterized deformity, maintaining full six-degree-of-freedom correction capability while simplifying the clinical process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary computational analysis to determine the optimal fixator configuration before the actual surgery, allowing the surgeon to simply implement pre-calculated parameters rather than complex real-time configurations
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple configurations are used to address different deformities, then the fixator can handle various cases, but the ease of operation decreases due to construction requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal computational method that can characterize any deformity type and calculate appropriate fixator parameters for all six degrees of freedom, making the system adaptable to various deformities without requiring different construction approaches
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining the proper configuration of a fixator or other medical device to correct a given deformity by solving the simultaneous equations representing the kinematic chain for the device. One skilled in the art would appreciate that x-rays, clinical evaluations, or a combination of both may be used to determine the distal and proximal mounting characteristics, including the use of digital x-rays with images from an imaging device to reduce or eliminate the needs for a physician to take measurements. The technique can be expanded to other medical evaluations. Additionally, one skilled in the art would appreciate that the method of the present invention could be written as one or more sets of instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that could be executed by a computer.