Hip Distractor Assembly With Lockable Joint Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hip distraction methods require manual repositioning and access to the draped pelvis/thigh region to switch between Distraction Mode and Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI) Mode, limiting ease of motion and requiring additional personnel to stabilize the knee.
Innovation Solution
A distractor assembly with a lockable ball joint or universal joint that couples to a surgical table, allowing for distraction load application in both supine and lateral positions, enabling seamless repositioning between modes without accessing the pelvis/thigh region, and featuring a support bar to stabilize the knee in FAI Mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fracture table is used for hip distraction, then distraction load can be applied, but the patient cannot be easily repositioned between supine and lateral positions and requires manual access to the draped region for mode switching
Solution Approach 1:
The distractor assembly incorporates a lockable ball joint that enables dynamic repositioning between supine and lateral positions. The joint can be unlocked to allow movement and then locked to maintain the selected position, providing operational flexibility without requiring complex mechanical transformations of the entire device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device separates the repositioning function into an independent lockable joint mechanism that can be operated remotely from the patient's body. This segmentation allows the joint to be unlocked and repositioned without needing to access the draped pelvis/thigh region, as the control mechanism is located away from the patient's body.
2Productivity
If manual repositioning is required to switch between Distraction Mode and FAI Mode, then the scrub nurse must hold the knee for stabilization, but this requires additional personnel and reduces operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The lockable ball joint is designed to maintain the leg in the selected position (supine or lateral) once locked, providing self-stabilization without requiring continuous manual intervention. The scrub nurse no longer needs to hold the knee for stabilization, as the mechanical locking mechanism performs this function automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint is locked in advance to secure the leg position before surgical procedures begin. This preliminary stabilization action eliminates the need for continuous manual support during the procedure, allowing the surgical team to work efficiently without distraction.
3Ease of operation
If the locking mechanism is located at the joint, then repositioning is straightforward, but accessing the joint requires reaching under the draped foot area which compromises sterility and increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is positioned as an intermediary element remote from the patient's body, allowing it to control the joint position without requiring direct access to the joint itself. The circulator nurse can operate the locking mechanism from outside the sterile field, eliminating the need to breach the drape while still achieving secure positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a distractor assembly adapted to couple to a leg and capable of providing a distraction load on the leg in both supine and lateral positions of the leg. The assembly is coupled to a surgical table by a ball joint or a universal joint. A method includes coupling a leg to a distractor assembly, positioning the leg in one of a distraction mode and a femoral acetabular impingement mode, and repositioning the leg in the other of the modes without the need for accessing a draped pelvis/thigh region.