K-Wire Depth Measurement With Graduated Scale Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring the depth of a K-wire during surgical procedures lack precision, which can lead to improper positioning and potential injury to sensitive tissues or major bleeding if the K-wire tip punctures through the vertebra.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device with a distal interface member and a proximal handle, featuring a connecting element, graduated scales, and a locking mechanism to accurately measure the depth of a K-wire protruding from a surgical tool, ensuring precise positioning and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the K-wire is advanced through the surgical tool to reach the desired depth, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the risk of excessive protrusion and tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-marking depth indicators on the K-wire before insertion. These markers allow the surgeon to visually monitor the K-wire tip position relative to the surgical tool distal end throughout the advancement process, enabling precise depth control and preventing excessive protrusion that could cause tissue damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through visual depth indicators (markers) on the K-wire that provide continuous information about the wire tip position relative to the surgical tool. This real-time visual feedback allows the surgeon to adjust the advancement to maintain the K-wire tip at the desired depth, thereby improving positioning accuracy while preventing tissue damage.
2Productivity
If force is applied during the procedure to advance the screw over the K-wire, then the screw placement is achieved, but the K-wire may move forward excessively into the surgical site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-marking depth indicators on the K-wire before the screw advancement process. These markers are positioned at critical depths (e.g., 0mm, 5mm, 10mm) so that during the forceful screw advancement, the surgeon can continuously monitor the K-wire tip position and stop advancement before excessive protrusion occurs, maintaining depth control while achieving efficient screw placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through visual depth markers that provide real-time information about K-wire tip position during screw advancement. As force is applied to advance the screw, the surgeon observes the movement of depth markers relative to the surgical tool, providing continuous feedback that allows dynamic adjustment to prevent the K-wire from moving forward excessively, thus maintaining measurement precision during high-productivity operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly includes a surgical device (10) including a distal interface member (12) and a proximal handle (14), the distal interface member (12) including a connecting element (16) for connecting to a surgical tool (18), and a K-wire (20) that passes through a central passageway of the surgical device (10) distally through the distal interface member (12) into a lumen of the surgical tool (18). A wire depth measurement tool (30) includes a handle interface member (32) that assembles to the handle (14) and one or more graduated scales (36) that extend proximally from the handle interface member (32). The graduated scales (36) include depth graduations for indicating an amount a tip of the K-wire (20) protrudes from a distal end of the surgical tool (18).