Foldable Head Plate Ossicular Prosthesis for Minimally Invasive Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ossicular prostheses face challenges in achieving high postoperative flexibility and variability while maintaining effective sound conduction, often requiring large surgical openings and resulting in scar tissue and potential dislodgment due to rigid tilting mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The ossicular prosthesis features radially inner web elements that fold like an umbrella when a force is applied, allowing axial movement and reducing the need for large surgical openings, with adjustable angles and materials for enhanced flexibility and sound transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the head plate is designed to be rigid and tiltable relative to the connecting element, then postoperative flexibility is improved, but pressure peaks occur between the head plate and eardrum causing potential penetration or extrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The head plate transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic, foldable structure with web elements that can change configuration. The web elements connect the central coupling region to the peripheral region through foldable joints, allowing the head plate to adapt its shape postoperatively without generating excessive pressure peaks, thus resolving the contradiction between flexibility and pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The head plate is segmented into multiple web elements radiating from a central coupling region. Each web element can fold independently, allowing distributed adaptation across the head plate surface. This segmentation enables the structure to achieve flexibility through coordinated folding of multiple elements rather than rigid tilting, reducing localized pressure peaks on the eardrum.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the head plate is designed with high flexibility and variability, then adaptation to anatomical variations is improved, but the prosthesis requires large surgical openings for insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable head plate can be collapsed into a compact, nested configuration during insertion. The web elements fold toward the central coupling region, reducing the overall radial footprint of the head plate. This nested state allows insertion through small surgical openings, after which the head plate unfolds to its full functional configuration, resolving the contradiction between anatomical adaptation and insertion accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The head plate transitions from a compact inserted state to an expanded functional state after implantation. The foldable web elements are designed to unfold and assume their functional configuration once positioned, enabling the prosthesis to achieve full anatomical adaptation capability after insertion through a minimal opening, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and insertion size.
3Length of moving object
If the web elements are designed to fold like an umbrella axially, then insertion through small openings is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The web elements are designed as thin, flexible structures that can bend and fold along predetermined axes. Each web element connects the central coupling region to the peripheral region through foldable joints, enabling umbrella-like axial folding. This flexible film approach achieves compact insertion profile without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between insertion accessibility and structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables easier insertion and better sound transmission with reduced scar tissue formation, faster recovery, and the potential for endoscopic placement, while maintaining the advantages of previous flexible prosthesis designs.
Implementation Method 1
the web elements are connected to the central coupling area at their radially inner end regions with respect to the longitudinal axis in such a way that, when a force is introduced with a force component parallel or antiparallel to the longitudinal axis, they fold like an umbrella in the direction of the longitudinal axis
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b~1c
Figure 1d~1e
AI summary
An ossicular prosthesis (10) with a head plate as a first attachment element (11), a second attachment element (12) for mechanical connection with the ossicular chain or with the inner ear, and a connecting element (13), wherein the head plate has a central coupling area (14) between the head plate and the connecting element, as well as radially outwardly projecting bridge elements (15) which are connected to the coupling area via a radially inner end area (16) and each extend into an outer free end section (17), is characterized in that the bridge elements are connected to the coupling area at their inner end areas in such a way that, when a force component parallel to the longitudinal axis (z) is introduced, they fold together like an umbrella, their end sections being pivoted radially closer to the longitudinal axis and thereby also undergoing an axial movement.and that the bridge elements protrude away from the coupling area at a predetermined fixed angle without the application of this force. This allows the prosthesis to be inserted into the patient's middle ear much more easily and through a much smaller artificial opening.