Intra-Osseous Bone Plate Fixation for Stable Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical interventions for correcting anatomically misaligned bones, such as those in the foot, often require multiple bone plates to maintain alignment, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A bone plating system utilizing an intra-osseous support structure placed within the bone and secured by fasteners, combined with an exterior bone plate, providing a balanced fixation system that maintains bone alignment through tension and compression forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple exterior bone plates are used to maintain alignment, then bone alignment stability is improved, but device complexity and surgical cumbersome nature increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intra-osseous support structure is nested within the bone itself, with opposing ends received in openings formed in adjacent bone portions. This internal placement eliminates the need for multiple exterior bone plates while maintaining alignment stability, as the support structure is contained within the bone architecture rather than attached externally.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from external bone plate attachment (surface level) to internal intra-osseous placement (within the bone volume). By moving the support structure into the third dimension within the bone, the system achieves stable fixation with a single integrated component rather than multiple exterior plates.
2Device complexity
If a single intra-osseous support structure is used, then device complexity is reduced, but load distribution capability may be insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single intra-osseous support structure is segmented into multiple sections with opposing ends that extend into separate bone portions. Each end can be independently secured with fasteners, allowing the structure to span multiple bone interfaces and distribute loads across different anatomical regions while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the functions of multiple bone plates into a single intra-osseous support structure that simultaneously anchors multiple bone portions. By merging these functions into one integrated component placed within the bone, the system achieves equivalent or superior load distribution with reduced complexity.
3Reliability
If fasteners are inserted through bone portions, then secure fixation is achieved, but surgical procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Openings are pre-formed in the bone portions to receive the opposing ends of the intra-osseous support structure. This preliminary preparation allows fasteners to be inserted directly through aligned pathways, simplifying the fixation procedure and reducing surgical complexity while ensuring secure anchoring of the support structure to the bone portions.
Data Source
AI summary
An intra-osseous support structure can be used to fixate opposed portions of bone. In some examples, the intra-osseous support structure is positioned in openings formed in adjacent portions of bones. Fasteners are inserted through the bone portions to secure the intra-osseous support structure in the bones. Depending on the application, one or more external bone plates may also be applied to the bone portions. The external bone plate may be in compression while the intra-osseous support structure is in tension under load in situ.