Knee Prosthesis Bone Preparation With Adjustable Extension Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing the surfaces of the tibia and femur for prosthetic knee joints require excessive bone resection to accommodate joint components, leading to unnecessary tissue loss and complications.
Innovation Solution
The use of user-operable height adjustable extension tabs integrated into the joint liner or femoral component, which minimize the spacing needed between the tibia and femur by directly engaging with the resected surfaces, allowing for precise reference plane establishment without additional preparation plates, and incorporating pressure sensors and 3D modeling for optimal bone resection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional preparation plates with extension tabs are used to establish reference planes, then the reference plane can be established for prosthetic component alignment, but extra spacing is required between tibia and femur ends leading to excessive bone resection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the extension tabs directly into the prosthetic joint components (femoral component and tibia component) rather than using separate preparation plates. The femoral component includes extension tabs that engage with the tibia component, and the tibia component includes extension tabs that engage with the femur, merging the alignment function into the final implant structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthetic components serve dual functions: they act as both the final joint replacement and as the alignment reference system during surgery. The extension tabs on these components perform both the alignment reference function and the structural joint replacement function, eliminating the need for separate preparation plates.
2Measurement precision
If separate preparation plates are used to accommodate extension tabs for reference plane establishment, then alignment can be achieved, but device complexity increases requiring multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the alignment reference system and the prosthetic joint replacement into a single integrated component system. The extension tabs are built-in features of the femoral and tibia components themselves, eliminating the need for separate preparation plates and reducing the total number of surgical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The femoral and tibia components are designed to perform multiple functions: they serve as the final joint replacement implants and simultaneously function as the alignment reference system during surgery through their integrated extension tabs, reducing the need for additional specialized tools.
3Ease of operation
If extra spacing is provided between tibia and femur to accommodate preparation plates and extension tabs, then component installation is facilitated, but the amount of bone that must be resected increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment reference system into the final prosthetic components themselves, with extension tabs that are integral features of the femoral and tibia components. This integration eliminates the need for extra spacing between bone ends that would be required if separate preparation plates were used.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for minimizing the amount of bone initially required to be resected off surfaces of a knee joint prepared using a plurality of user-operable adjustable extension tabs that define a stability gap derived from gap measurements taken in each of extension, mid-flexion and flexion, wherein the stability gap is commensurate with a reference plane derivable from the arrangement wherein a final bone resection with a corresponding bone surface with said reference plane provides for optimum balanced angular movement between the tibia component and the femoral component of the prosthetic knee joint post-surgery.