Guide Assembly with Keyed Stop for Hip Fracture Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical instrumentation for hip fracture reduction is often invasive and complex, requiring significant surgical effort and time for implantation of bone plate assemblies.
Innovation Solution
A guide assembly comprising a base with a handle, a sheath with a key member, and a stop structure with keyways, which aligns passageways to facilitate minimally invasive placement of a lag screw and bone plate, using a drill and tap to create a fastener cavity, and a plate holder assembly to secure the bone plate, allowing for precise alignment and reduced complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional medical instrumentation is used for hip fracture reduction, then the procedure can be performed with conventional methods, but the procedure is invasive and complex requiring significant surgical effort and time
Solution Approach 1:
The guide assembly is divided into separate modular components including a guide component with base and handle, a sheath with key member, and a stop structure with keyways. These segments can be independently assembled and configured, reducing overall complexity while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath is positioned within the guide component, and the stop structure is positioned within the sheath, creating a nested arrangement. This nesting reduces the overall footprint and simplifies the surgical procedure by consolidating multiple functions into a compact assembly.
2Productivity
If traditional medical instrumentation is used for hip fracture reduction, then the procedure can be performed with conventional methods, but the surgical time is significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The guide assembly is pre-configured with aligned passageways and pre-positioned components (guide component, sheath, stop structure) before insertion. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for time-consuming intraoperative adjustments and alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functions (guidance, positioning, depth control) are merged into a single integrated assembly. The guide component, sheath, and stop structure work together as one unit, reducing the number of separate steps required in the surgical procedure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional medical instrumentation is used for hip fracture reduction, then the procedure can be performed with conventional methods, but the invasiveness and trauma to the patient is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of the sheath within the guide component and the stop structure within the sheath allows the entire assembly to be inserted through a single small incision, minimizing surgical trauma while maintaining full functionality.
4Manufacturing precision
If the guide assembly uses multiple components (guide component, sheath, stop structure), then alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The key member on the sheath and keyways on the stop structure create an asymmetric coupling mechanism. This asymmetric design provides precise angular and positional alignment while simplifying the coupling action to a single rotational movement, reducing assembly complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly includes a guide component having (i) a base defining a first passageway, and (ii) a handle attached to the base, the base including a first coupling component. The assembly further includes a first sheath defining a second passageway, the first sheath including a second coupling component configured to cooperate with the first coupling component to couple the first sheath to the base. The first passageway is aligned with the second passageway when the first sheath is coupled to the base. The assembly further includes a stop structure defining a central passage, the stop structure including an external surface having a plurality of keyways defined therein. The first sheath includes a key member configured to be selectively received in any one of the plurality of keyways. The stop structure is fixed in relation to the first sheath when the key member is positioned in any one of the plurality of keyways.