Combination Humeral Sizer Guide for Precise Shoulder Arthroplasty
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shoulder arthroplasty systems face challenges in accurately visualizing and optimizing the position of humeral head components during surgery, requiring multiple instruments and potentially suboptimal placement of guide pins, which increases complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A shoulder arthroplasty system incorporating a combination device with a convex outer surface and a guide bore that replicates the humeral head component, allowing for improved visualization and precise positioning of the humeral base component, along with a guide pin to accurately place the humeral base component and reduce the number of instruments needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple instruments are used for positioning the humeral base component, then the positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate instruments (humeral sizer, trial component, and guide) into a single integrated combination device. The device includes a base portion with a cavity for receiving the humeral base component, a convex outer surface that replicates the humeral head component geometry, and a guide bore for positioning the guide pin. This integration eliminates the need for multiple separate instruments while maintaining positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination device performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as a sizer to determine the appropriate humeral base component size, as a trial component to visualize the final position, and as a guide to position the guide pin. The convex outer surface is sized to replicate at least in part an outer bearing surface of a humeral head component, enabling the device to function as both a measurement tool and a positioning guide.
2Loss of time
If guide pin is placed before positioning trial head component, then the procedure time is reduced, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The combination device allows the guide pin to be positioned in advance through the guide bore, which is formed as part of the device structure. The guide bore is positioned to receive the guide pin at the correct location before the trial head component positioning is completed. This preliminary positioning of the guide pin through the pre-formed guide bore eliminates the need for separate guide pin placement steps while ensuring accurate positioning.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple instruments are used throughout the process, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple separate instruments into a single combination device, reducing the total number of instruments required for the procedure. The device combines the humeral sizer, trial component, and guide functions into one unit, thereby reducing the cost associated with purchasing and sterilizing multiple separate instruments while maintaining the positioning accuracy achieved through the integrated design.
Data Source
AI summary
A shoulder arthroplasty kit includes a humeral head component, a combination sizer and guide device substantially identical to the humeral component but including a including a guide bore, and a guide pin configured to be inserted into the resected surface of the humerus and configured to be guided by the guide bore to a center of the resected surface of the humerus which is covered by the at least one combination sizer and guide device.