Inflatable Bone Tamp for Percutaneous Void Creation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical treatments for distal radius fractures, such as Colles' fractures, often require open approaches and invasive methods, which can be disruptive to surrounding tissue and may not effectively utilize percutaneous techniques for fracture reduction and fixation.
Innovation Solution
A method and kit that include a guidewire, cannulated drill bit, inflatable bone tamp, and cannulated screw, allowing for percutaneous access and creation of voids in the bone to deliver bone void filler, enabling closed reduction and fixation with minimal tissue disruption, using a guidewire to anchor the drill bit and tamp, and inflating the tamp to compress bone and create spaces for filler delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If open surgical approach is used for fracture treatment, then fracture reduction and fixation can be achieved, but tissue disruption and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fracture reduction and fixation functions from the open surgical approach and implements them through percutaneous techniques. A percutaneous pin is inserted through the skin to serve as a guidewire for drill bit insertion, allowing internal bone work to be performed without open exposure. The inflatable bone tamp is inserted percutaneously to create voids for bone void filler delivery, eliminating the need for open surgical access while maintaining treatment effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces several intermediary devices that enable percutaneous fracture treatment. The percutaneous pin serves as an intermediary guidewire for drill bit insertion. The inflatable bone tamp acts as an intermediary mechanism to create voids without direct open access. These intermediaries allow the surgical system to perform internal bone operations through external percutaneous access points, reducing tissue disruption while maintaining treatment reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If percutaneous techniques are used for fracture treatment, then tissue disruption is reduced, but precision and control of fracture reduction may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action through the use of a percutaneous pin inserted beforehand to serve as a precise guidewire. This pre-positioned pin establishes an accurate pathway for subsequent drill bit insertion, ensuring precise fracture reduction despite the percutaneous approach. The guidewire is prepared and positioned in advance to guide all subsequent instrumentation through a predetermined precise trajectory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms through radiographic imaging guidance. The percutaneous pin and drill bit positions are monitored and adjusted based on radiographic feedback to ensure precise fracture reduction. This feedback loop allows real-time verification and adjustment of the percutaneous instrumentation placement to maintain high precision despite the minimally invasive approach.
3Reliability
If traditional fracture fixation methods are used, then fracture healing can be achieved, but bone void filler delivery capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal percutaneous access system that serves multiple functions. The percutaneous pin serves as both a guidewire for drill bit insertion and a potential anchor for fixation. The inflatable bone tamp creates voids that serve both as spaces for bone void filler delivery and as structural modification points for enhanced healing. This multi-functional approach integrates fracture fixation with bone void filler delivery capability through a single percutaneous access pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary void creation using the inflatable bone tamp before final fixation and filler delivery. This preliminary action prepares the bone structure by creating controlled voids that facilitate subsequent bone void filler delivery while maintaining fracture stability. The voids are created in advance to optimize the delivery of bone void filler, enhancing the overall fracture healing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for precise fracture reduction and fixation with reduced tissue disruption, enabling targeted delivery of bone void filler to enhance bone union and support, suitable for various fracture types and anatomical locations.
Implementation Method 1
inflating the inflatable bone tamp to compress at least a portion of the bone in the fracture site so as to create a void
Implementation Method 2
a cannulated drill bit having a distal end including helical flutes configured for drilling through bone
Data Source
AI summary
A method of treating a fracture includes creating an access path to a fracture site in a bone and inserting a guidewire through the access path into the fracture site is provided. The method includes the steps of positioning a cannulated drill bit having a distal end including helical flutes configured for drilling through bone over the guidewire into the fracture site, and advancing the drill bit to create a passageway in the bone configured to receive a screw. Positioning a cannulated inflatable bone tamp over the guidewire and inflating the inflatable bone tamp to compress at least a portion of the bone in or near the fracture site so as to create a void. Delivering a bone void filler into the void through the access path to fill the void. Systems and kits are disclosed.