Joint Replacement Trial Implant with Flat Gauge Disk
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing technologies for implanting joint prostheses face challenges in maximizing the size of bearing surfaces due to limited space in bone structures, which restricts the size of components that can be used, leading to localized stresses and potential complications during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A trial implant component featuring a flat disk with openings is used to assess the appropriate size of the head part of a joint prosthesis by fitting it to the metaphyseal part, allowing for easier selection and fitting, and a kit with modular components of varying sizes and configurations to facilitate the selection of the correct size and eccentricity for the bone, enabling minimally invasive procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the transverse dimension of the head part is maximized to minimize localized stresses, then the bearing surface area is improved, but the head part may overlap the edge of the resected humerus
Solution Approach 1:
A trial disk is used before the actual head part to preliminarily assess the available space and determine the maximum safe transverse dimension. The trial disk is positioned on the metaphyseal part and its edge location relative to the resected bone edge is inspected, allowing the surgeon to select an appropriate size that maximizes bearing surface area without overlapping the bone edge.
2Measurement precision
If different disk configurations are provided to assess fit relative to bone edge, then the selection accuracy of head part size is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple trial disks are provided with varying parameters such as transverse dimension (size) and eccentricity (location of fixing feature relative to edge). These parameter variations allow assessment of different head part configurations to find the optimal fit. The metaphyseal part itself can be provided in different sizes and configurations to match different bone geometries, systematically covering the range of possible implant variations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A trial implant component for use in a surgical procedure for replacement of a joint between a long bone and another bone, comprises a metaphyseal part which can be located so that it extends into a cavity at the resected face of the long bone in contact with the internal wall of the cavity in the metaphyseal region, and a disk which has an essentially flat shape and which can be fitted to the metaphyseal part to provide a gauge as to the appropriate size of a head part which is to be selected according to the location of the axis of the bone relative to the edge of the resected bone.