Guide Pin Gauge With Reduced Diameter Shank For Bone Tunnel Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current guide pins lack accurate measurement and placement capabilities, particularly for determining bone and tissue thickness during arthroscopic surgical procedures, leading to potential inaccuracies and inefficiencies in tunnel creation within bones.
Innovation Solution
A guide pin gauge with a distal cutting head, a proximal shank, and a reduced diameter portion, featuring a proximal facing shoulder and scale markings along the reduced diameter portion, ensuring accurate placement and measurement without degrading accuracy, and maintaining a consistent diameter for precise engagement with drill guides and reamers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a proximal facing shoulder is placed near the distal end of the guide pin, then measurement capability is improved, but accuracy is degraded due to loose fit in drill guide and cannulated reamer
Solution Approach 1:
The guide pin transitions from a uniform cylindrical shape to a multi-diameter structure with a reduced diameter portion in the middle section. This dimensional change allows the proximal facing shoulder to be positioned at the distal end while maintaining a smaller diameter in the intermediate section that fits properly within drill guides and cannulated reamers, resolving the conflict between measurement capability and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin is divided into distinct segments with different diameters: a proximal shank portion, a reduced diameter portion, and a distal cutting head. This segmentation allows each portion to serve its specific function - the proximal shank for engagement with drill guide, the reduced diameter portion for passing through cannulated reamer, and the distal cutting head with proximal facing shoulder for measurement.
2Measurement precision
If the head is made significantly larger than the shaft to create proximal facing shoulder, then measurement function is improved, but device complexity increases and fit becomes loose
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire guide pin head larger, the design segments the guide pin into distinct diameter zones. The reduced diameter portion creates a transitional zone that allows the proximal facing shoulder to exist at the distal end without requiring the entire shaft to be oversized, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement function.
3Measurement precision
If conventional measurement tools are used after withdrawing guide pin, then measurement accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases due to removal and replacement time
Solution Approach 1:
The guide pin is designed with an integrated measurement system where the proximal facing shoulder with scale markings provides self-contained measurement capability. The guide pin measures itself directly during insertion without requiring withdrawal for external measurement tools, eliminating the time-consuming removal and replacement cycle while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement scale and proximal facing shoulder are pre-positioned on the guide pin during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows measurement to occur immediately during the surgical procedure without requiring subsequent withdrawal for measurement, thus improving productivity while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A guide pin gauge is described for use in measuring the thickness of an object at a particular location. The guide pin gauge includes a distal cutting head, a proximal shank having an outside diameter equivalent to an outside diameter of said distal cutting head, and a reduced diameter portion extending a length between the distal cutting head and the proximal shank. A proximal facing shoulder is provided at a transition between said distal cutting head and said reduced diameter portion. Markings are provided as a scale along said reduced diameter portion. The distal cutting head may be passed entirely through the hole, and displaced to a side such that a distal extent of the hole engages with the proximal facing shoulder. The markings may then be read to determine a distance to the distal extent of the hole.