Flexible Intramedullary Bone Implant for Fracture Stabilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bone plates for fracture stabilization require extensive surgical exposure, leading to prolonged and painful healing processes and increased risk of infection, as they often need to protrude through the skin for implantation and removal.

Innovation Solution

A bone implant with a distal threaded portion and a non-threaded proximal portion, designed to be inserted into an intramedullary canal, allowing the distal portion to follow a curved path within the bone while the proximal portion provides stabilization, minimizing exposure and reducing infection risk.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bone plates are used for fracture stabilization, then bone stabilization is achieved, but surgical exposure time is prolonged and infection risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebone stabilizationVSAvoidsurgical exposure time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The implant is divided into distinct functional segments: a threaded distal portion for anchoring and a smooth proximal portion for spanning the fracture. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally while reducing overall implant complexity and surgical time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a plate that contacts the bone surface externally, the implant is inverted to be inserted internally into the intramedullary canal. This inversion eliminates the need for extensive external exposure and reduces infection risk while maintaining stabilization capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If bone plates are used for fracture stabilization, then bone stabilization is achieved, but infection risk increases due to skin protrusion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebone stabilizationVSAvoidinfection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The implant design inverts the conventional approach by moving from external plate fixation to internal intramedullary insertion. The implant enters through a small incision and resides within the bone canal, eliminating skin protrusion and associated infection risks while maintaining effective fracture stabilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful element (external plate contacting skin) is extracted and replaced with an internal implant that does not protrude through the skin. This extraction of the infection-risk element maintains stabilization function while eliminating the harmful exposure pathway

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If distal portion follows curved bone path, then implant adaptability improves, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurved path followingVSAvoidimplant structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the implant have different properties: the distal portion is threaded for anchoring and flexibility to follow curved paths, while the proximal portion is smooth and rigid for stable fracture spanning. This local differentiation of properties allows curved path adaptation without compromising overall structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The distal threaded portion is designed to be more flexible, allowing it to dynamically adapt to the curved intramedullary canal geometry during insertion, while the proximal portion remains relatively static and rigid for stable fracture support

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10492838B2Flexible bone implant

Publication Date: 2019.12.03 CONVENTUS ORTHOPAEDICS INC

AI summary

Examples of devices and methods for stabilizing a fracture in a bone include a body having an elongate distal portion having an outer surface defining a screw thread and an elongate proximal portion having a non-threaded outer surface.