Personalized Mandibular Implant with Sealed Cavity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Mandibular reconstruction surgeries often result in suboptimal outcomes due to complications such as infections and medical issues, with existing implants not adequately addressing the need for precise fit, strength, and reduced mass to match natural bone weight.

Innovation Solution

A personalized implant with a closed cavity and solid impervious layer, featuring a piecewise smooth outside surface, open support structure, and flaps with triangular screw holes for improved stability and osseointegration, manufactured using additive manufacturing to match the patient's anatomical shape and weight, reducing the risk of infections and enhancing strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a solid implant is used for mandibular reconstruction, then strength and stability are improved, but the weight of the implant increases compared to natural bone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant strengthVSAvoidimplant weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The implant is segmented into a solid outer shell and an internal cavity structure, where the solid layer provides strength while the cavity reduces overall weight to match natural bone density

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the implant have different structural properties - the outer solid layer provides structural integrity and strength, while the internal cavity provides weight reduction, creating a composite structure with optimized local properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Weight of moving object

If an open implant structure is used to reduce weight, then implant weight is reduced, but the implant becomes more prone to infections due to fluid exchange with exterior

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant weightVSAvoidinfection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful fluid exchange function is extracted and eliminated by sealing the implant cavity, removing the pathway for bacterial contamination while preserving the weight-reducing cavity structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The implant is designed with a sealed impervious layer that proactively prevents infection before it can occur by blocking fluid exchange pathways, rather than attempting to treat infection after it establishes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Manufacturing precision

If a customized implant is manufactured to match patient anatomy, then fit and osseointegration are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanatomical fit precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process transitions from conventional methods to additive manufacturing, changing the key parameter of manufacturing approach to enable complex customized geometries while actually reducing overall process complexity and steps required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20240325151A1Personalized implant

Publication Date: 2024.10.03 BLOK ADDITIVE MFG BV

AI summary

A personalized implant for bone replacement comprises an implant body as a reconstruction of a bone portion. The implant body comprises a closed cavity and a solid impervious layer of material defining an outside surface of the implant body exposed to an exterior of the implant. The solid impervious layer fully encloses the closed cavity inside the implant body. The closed hollow interior can comprise an open support structure to reinforce the solid outside layer.