Proximal Humerus Surface-Reconfiguration Implant for Rotator Cuff Tears

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical options for addressing massive rotator cuff tears and early to moderate cuff tear arthropathy, such as reverse-configuration total shoulder replacement, have limitations including high surgical risks, significant post-surgical activity restrictions, and potential for periprosthetic fractures.

Innovation Solution

A proximal-humerus surface-reconfiguration implant with a prominent articular surface is used to create a new gliding surface that protrudes above the normal bony outline of the humeral head and greater tuberosity, allowing for realignment and inferior translation of the humeral head, thereby improving joint congruity and deltoid muscle function.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If reverse-configuration total shoulder replacement is performed, then joint function is restored, but surgical risk and complication rate increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint function restorationVSAvoidsurgical risk and complications

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The implant is divided into distinct functional components: a humeral component for bone anchoring and a separate articular surface component for joint articulation. This segmentation allows the procedure to be less invasive than total shoulder replacement while still restoring joint function, thereby reducing surgical risk and complications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The implant provides localized reconstruction of the humeral head and greater tuberosity using bone graft or substitute material, rather than replacing the entire shoulder joint. This local quality approach restores the specific damaged structures while preserving surrounding healthy tissue, reducing overall surgical risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If reverse-configuration total shoulder replacement is performed, then joint stability is improved, but post-surgical activity restrictions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint stabilityVSAvoidpost-surgical activity freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The implant design allows for dynamic recovery with progressive activity increase. The stable bone anchoring enables patients to begin rehabilitation sooner and progress through activity levels more quickly compared to reverse-configuration replacement, reducing long-term activity restrictions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Strength

If reverse-configuration total shoulder replacement is performed, then deltoid muscle function is improved, but risk of periprosthetic fracture increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeltoid muscle functionVSAvoidperiprosthetic fracture risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The implant nests the articular surface component within the reconstructed humeral head structure. This nested design distributes mechanical loads more evenly and reduces stress concentration at the implant-bone interface, thereby reducing periprosthetic fracture risk while maintaining deltoid muscle function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Manufacturing precision

If prominent articular surface is created, then joint congruity is improved, but implant complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint congruityVSAvoidimplant structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The articular surface is formed with a spherical curvature that matches the natural humeral head geometry. This spherical design achieves excellent joint congruity and smooth articulation while using a relatively simple geometric form that does not significantly increase implant manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS20250186215A1Implant facilitating upper humerus resurfacing and method for use and implantation thereof

Publication Date: 2025.06.12 GONZALEZ HERNANDEZ EDUARDO

AI summary

A surface-reconfiguration implant, a method of using the surface-reconfiguration implant, and a method of implantation of the surface-reconfiguration implant that creates an articular surface between an upper portion of a humeral head and a greater tuberosity, and an undersurface of an acromion in shoulders with massive rotator cuff tears is provided. The surface-reconfiguration implant can include a body portion including at least an undersurface and an articular surface, where the undersurface is configured to interface with portions of a proximal humerus to facilitate attachment of the body portion thereto, and portions of the articular surface extend to and/and preferably beyond a normal anatomical shape of portions a humeral head and a greater tuberosity both superiorly and medially when the body portion is attached to the proximal humerus.