Humeral Implant Support Element with Angled Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional humeral implants with anchoring stems require significant bone resection, alter the humeral head's center of rotation, and complicate surgery, leading to increased risk of fractures and revision surgery challenges, particularly when converting between anatomical and reverse configurations.
Innovation Solution
A humeral implant with a support element featuring a central body and outwardly extending arms, allowing for either male or female insert compatibility, providing anatomical load distribution and stability without the need for removal during configuration conversion, utilizing a titanium alloy for bio-compatibility and featuring a ring element for peripheral fixation and load transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional humeral implant with an anchoring stem is used, then the implant provides stable fixation in the medullary cavity, but it requires significant resection of cancellous bone and alters the original positioning of the humeral head and center of rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the anchoring stem component from the traditional humeral implant design. The support element is implanted directly into the cancellous bone of the humeral head without requiring a stem extending into the medullary cavity, thereby eliminating the need for significant bone resection while maintaining fixation stability through direct metaphyseal engagement
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of extending the implant downward into the medullary cavity as in traditional designs, the invention inverts the approach by placing the support element directly in the humeral head metaphysis and using upward-directed arms for fixation. This inversion allows preservation of the natural humeral head anatomy and center of rotation while achieving stable implantation
2Reliability
If a traditional humeral implant with an anchoring stem is used, then the implant provides secure fixation, but the implantation surgery becomes more difficult and requires longer time compared to stemless procedures
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the stem component entirely, the surgical procedure is simplified to direct implantation of the support element into the humeral head metaphysis. This eliminates the complex steps of medullary canal preparation, stem insertion, and alignment required in traditional stemmed implants, significantly reducing surgical time while maintaining reliable fixation through the arm structure
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is segmented into a central body with multiple outwardly extending arms that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows for simplified implantation where each arm can engage the bone separately, reducing the complexity and time of the surgical procedure compared to monolithic stemmed designs
3Strength
If a traditional humeral implant with an anchoring stem is used, then the implant provides structural support, but postoperative complications are dominated by fractures and revision surgery requires stem removal
Solution Approach 1:
By eliminating the stem, the invention removes the source of stress concentration and leverage forces that predispose the humeral metaphysis to fracture. The support element distributes loads directly across the metaphyseal bone through its arm structure, avoiding the fracture-prone interface between stem and bone that characterizes traditional designs
Solution Approach 2:
The arms of the support element are designed with specific local geometries and fixation features tailored to engage the metaphyseal bone structure. This localized adaptation provides structural support precisely where needed in the humeral head without imposing harmful stresses on the surrounding bone, reducing fracture risk while maintaining strength
4Reliability
If a traditional humeral implant with an anchoring stem is used, then the implant provides stable fixation, but conversion from anatomical to reverse configuration requires removal of the stem
Solution Approach 1:
The support element is designed as a universal base component that can accommodate both anatomical and reverse configuration inserts. The same support element with its arm structure provides stable fixation in both configurations, eliminating the need for stem removal during conversion. Only the insert (anatomical or reverse) needs to be exchanged, while the support element remains in place
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a dynamic system where the support element serves as a permanent metaphyseal anchor that can adapt to different functional configurations. The modularity allows the implant to transition between anatomical and reverse configurations by simply changing the insert, providing versatility without compromising the stability provided by the fixed support element
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a support element for humeral implant comprising a central body extending along an axis and at least three arms extending outwardly from the central body, the arms being transversal to said axis and bearing a ring element at their ends opposite to said central body, wherein at least a first and a second pair of arms form different angles.