Intrapelvic Bone Plate for Acetabulum Fracture Fixation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional methods for repairing acetabulum fractures are invasive, leading to large incisions, significant blood loss, risk of wound infection, and damage to important soft tissues, with current implants often failing to directly address fragment displacements due to complex anatomy and nearby sensitive structures.

Innovation Solution

A minimally invasive fixation system using an intrapelvic bone plate and bolts that are implanted in an infrapectineal position within the pelvis, allowing direct opposition to displacement forces, reducing incision size and trauma, and utilizing a cable and bolt orientation system for precise placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional open reduction and internal fixation methods are used to repair acetabulum fractures, then direct access to fracture fragments is achieved, but large incisions are required causing significant blood loss, wound infection risk, and soft tissue damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirect access to fracture fragmentsVSAvoidblood loss, wound infection risk, soft tissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The procedure is segmented into two distinct phases: first, making a small incision to insert the intrapelvic plate through the pelvic brim; second, using a long reduction tool inserted through the same small incision to achieve direct reduction of fracture fragments deep within the pelvis. This segmentation allows minimal soft tissue disruption while maintaining access to fracture sites.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intrapelvic plate serves as an intermediary device that is inserted through a small incision but then functions as a platform for attaching long reduction tools. These tools act as intermediaries that extend the surgeon's reach to manipulate fracture fragments deep within the pelvis without requiring large incisions or direct exposure of the fracture site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If current implant placement methods are used, then implants can be positioned, but they fail to directly address fragment displacements due to complex anatomy and nearby sensitive structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant placementVSAvoiddirect opposition to displacement forces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The intrapelvic plate is positioned in the infrapectineal region, which is a different spatial dimension relative to traditional anterior or lateral approaches. This alternative positioning allows the plate to serve as a stable base for long reduction tools that can reach fracture fragments deep within the pelvis, enabling direct reduction while avoiding damage to nearby sensitive structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making large incisions to directly access and reduce fracture fragments from the front or side, the invention inverts the approach by inserting the plate through a small incision at the pelvic brim and then using long tools that extend backward and inward to reach the fragments. This reverse engineering approach allows direct reduction capability while minimizing soft tissue disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive techniques are used with smaller incisions, then blood loss is reduced and trauma is minimized, but access to deep pelvic structures for direct fragment reduction becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood loss, traumaVSAvoidaccess to deep pelvic structures

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The intrapelvic plate is inserted through a small incision and nested within the pelvic cavity. Then, long reduction tools are inserted through the plate's openings and nested within the plate structure itself. These nested tools can extend deep into the pelvis to reach fracture fragments while the entire system enters through a minimal incision, combining minimally invasive access with deep structural reach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS8956393B2Devices, systems, and methods for acetabulum repair

Publication Date: 2015.02.17 RAMOS MAZA LUIS EDGARDO

AI summary

Systems for repairing acetabulum fractures can include a bone plate that has openings therein and one or more bolts sized to fit through the openings. The bone plate can cooperate with the head portions of the bolts to prevent them from spinning within the holes as screws are attached to the bolts. Such arrangements can assist in reverse implantation methods in which the bone plate is introduced into the true pelvis of a patient.