Humerus Internal Safe Locking Nail Proximal Distal Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intramedullary nails used for treating humeral fractures require additional skin incisions and radiation exposure, increasing the risk of infection and nerve damage, as well as prolonging healing time due to the need for fluoroscopy and distal locking procedures.
Innovation Solution
A humerus internal safe locking nail that locks the distal end from inside the bone, eliminating the need for distal incisions and fluoroscopy, using a flexible locking pin that extends from the nail to screw into the bone, and angled screw holes to avoid additional incisions and nerve damage, allowing for a more straightforward and safer surgical procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional intramedullary nails are used with distal locking, then the nail can be securely fixed in the humerus, but an additional skin incision is required at the distal end increasing infection risk and surgical complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is inverted from the conventional external-to-internal approach. Instead of inserting a locking screw through the distal skin incision and into the bone, the locking pin is inserted through the proximal end and extends internally to lock the distal end from the inside, reversing the traditional locking direction and eliminating the need for distal incision
Solution Approach 2:
The distal locking function is extracted from the external distal incision approach and integrated into the internal proximal insertion mechanism. The locking pin is designed to extend through the nail shaft from the proximal end, carrying the locking function internally without requiring external access at the distal site
2Measurement precision
If fluoroscopy is used to guide distal locking, then accurate positioning can be achieved, but radiation exposure to the patient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluoroscopy-guided distal locking step is completely removed from the surgical workflow. By designing the locking pin to be inserted from the proximal end and extend internally, the system eliminates the need for fluoroscopy to guide distal locking, thereby removing radiation exposure while maintaining positioning accuracy through anatomical knowledge and preoperative planning
3Reliability
If distal incision is made for locking, then the nail can be secured, but the risk of nerve damage to radial, median, and musculocutaneous nerves increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking approach is inverted from distal external access to proximal internal access. By inserting the locking pin through the proximal end and extending it internally to engage the distal bone, the surgical approach avoids the distal anatomical region where the radial, median, and musculocutaneous nerves are located, thereby eliminating nerve damage risk while maintaining secure locking
4Reliability
If traditional distal locking procedure is performed, then the nail is secured in place, but surgical time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is merged with the proximal insertion procedure. The locking pin is inserted through the proximal end in the same surgical exposure used for nail insertion, and the locking action is performed internally without requiring separate distal incision and fluoroscopy steps, thereby combining multiple operations into a single efficient procedure and reducing total surgical time
Data Source
AI summary
An intramedullary nail for surgically repairing a fractured humerus. The nail has a locking pin extending within the inside of the nail. The locking pin locks the nail into the distal portion of a humerus. The nail has an upper part which includes a compression hole, a locking pin slot, and angled screw holes. The nail is locked into the distal end of the humerus bone by screwing a bone-entering tip of the locking pin on the threaded end of the locking pin. The locking pin can be moved with a screwdriver from inside in order to extend the lower part of the pin out of the distal hole. The lower part of the humerus internal locking nail includes a rotation preventive end structure of the nail, and an angled tip on the distal part of the nail.