Hip Prosthesis Augments for Acetabular Bone Loss Fixation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In revision total hip arthroplasty, securely implanting an acetabular cup or shell into the bone is challenging, especially with poor bone quality or bone loss, and achieving uniform fixation material thickness is difficult with conventional methods.

Innovation Solution

The use of augments such as anchors and spacers that allow for secure attachment of the prosthesis to good bone via fixation material, with spacers controlling the thickness of the cement mantle to ensure proper seating and stability of the prosthesis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional methods are used to implant acetabular cup into bone, then the implantation process is simpler, but secure attachment is difficult especially with poor bone quality or bone loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment of prosthesis to boneVSAvoidimplantation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces augments (anchors and spacers) as intermediary components between the acetabular cup and the bone. These augments provide a stable foundation in poor bone quality by anchoring into healthy bone areas and providing a platform for cement attachment, thus mediating the connection between the prosthesis and compromised bone structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The augments are implanted preliminarily before the acetabular cup. The anchors are first secured to healthy bone areas, followed by spacers that define the cement mantle thickness, creating a prepared foundation that enables reliable subsequent implantation of the prosthesis in challenging bone conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional methods are used without spacers, then the implantation process is simpler, but uniform fixation material thickness is difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuniformity of fixation material thicknessVSAvoidimplantation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Spacers serve as intermediary tools that physically define and control the thickness of the fixation material (cement mantle) between the acetabular cup and the bone. By placing spacers of specific dimensions, the system ensures uniform cement thickness without requiring complex measurement and adjustment procedures during implantation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The spacers are simple, disposable components that are inserted temporarily during implantation to control cement thickness, then removed after the cement sets. This approach achieves precise thickness control using inexpensive, single-use elements rather than complex adjustable mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS10687947B2Augments and methods for implanting hip prostheses

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 BIOMET MFG LLC

AI summary

A method of securing an orthopedic hip prosthesis to an acetabulum of a living being. The prosthesis can be a shell or a cup, and the surgery can be a total hip arthroplasty such as a revision total hip arthroplasty. In some examples the method can include placing an augment at a bone surface of the acetabulum, applying a layer of fixation material over the bone surface in an amount sufficient to cover the augment, and then implanting the prosthesis over the layer of fixation material to secure the prosthesis to the layer of fixation material. In various aspects of the method, the augment can be an anchor or a spacer.