Surgical Aid for Knee Joint Isometry Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional surgical techniques for knee joint prosthetics alter the tension of peri-articular and intra-articular capsule-ligamentous tissues during bone resections, leading to unsatisfactory clinical results and pain, as they prioritize alignment with the mechanical or anatomical axis over maintaining isometric tissue tension.
Innovation Solution
A surgical aid comprising a first and second element positioned on the femur and tibia, respectively, with an actuator and sensors to maintain isometric tension of capsule-ligamentous tissues by measuring displacement and force, allowing precise alignment and resection planning to ensure optimal prosthetic positioning and kinematics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional surgical techniques align bone resections with the mechanical or anatomical axis, then the prosthetic components achieve proper alignment, but the capsule-ligamentous tissues experience altered tension leading to pain and unsatisfactory clinical results
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical aid incorporates sensors that provide real-time feedback on the tension state of capsule-ligamentous tissues during bone resection. This feedback mechanism allows the surgeon to adjust the resection parameters to maintain isometric tension in the soft tissues while achieving proper prosthetic alignment, thereby resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and tissue tension preservation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical alignment methods with a sensor-based system that uses electronic measurement and control. Instead of relying solely on mechanical guides and anatomical landmarks, the system uses sensors to detect tissue tension and provides data-driven guidance for bone resection, enabling simultaneous achievement of precise alignment and isometric tissue tension
2Adaptability or versatility
If asymmetric bone resections are performed to accommodate anatomical variations, then the prosthetic components can be positioned correctly, but the soft tissues become excessively tensioned requiring surgical release
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical aid system dynamically adjusts the bone resection plan based on real-time sensor feedback regarding soft tissue tension. Rather than committing to a fixed asymmetric resection pattern, the system allows continuous modification of resection parameters during surgery to maintain optimal tissue tension, adapting to actual anatomical conditions while preserving soft tissue integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of bone resection (such as resection depth, angle, and location) based on sensor measurements of soft tissue tension. By dynamically adjusting these parameters during surgery, the system can accommodate anatomical variations and achieve proper prosthetic positioning without creating excessive tissue tension that would require surgical release
3Volume of moving object
If the extensor mechanism is reduced to position the surgical aid, then compact positioning is achieved, but the intervention time may be extended
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical aid is positioned with the extensor mechanism reduced as a preliminary step before the main prosthetic implantation. This preliminary positioning allows the compact device to be installed and configured in advance, enabling it to guide the subsequent bone resections and component positioning efficiently, thereby minimizing the overall surgery duration despite the initial setup step
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical aid for joints which allows the positioning of mono-compartment or three-compartment prosthetic components so that the isometry of the capsular-ligament tissues of the knee is maintained during the entire range of motion. Such surgical aid comprises: a first element (10) intended to be positioned in contact with a first bone of a joint; a second element (20), intended to be positioned in contact with a second bone of the joint; the first and second element (10,20) being movable relatively to one another along at least a first direction (X); a displacement sensor (30) predisposed for measuring a relative displacement between the first and second element (10,20); an actuator/motor (50) predisposed for exerting a force that tends to move the first element (10) and second element (20) away from one another; a pressure sensor (40) which measures the force that is exerted between the first and second bone; a processing module (60) arranged to control the actuator/motor (50) so as to calculate the variation of the slope arising from the relationship between distance and force; the processing module (60) receives in input the signal emitted by the displacement sensor (30), the force sensor (10) and the pressure sensor (40).