Medial Proximal Tibia Anatomic Bone Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone plates for the proximal tibia, especially lateral designs, struggle to adequately stabilize and support the medial condyle portions of the tibia due to anatomical constraints and accessibility issues, often requiring long fasteners and difficulty in reaching posterior fragments.
Innovation Solution
Development of anatomic bone plates with contoured head portions and adjustable shafts that can be intraoperatively shaped to fit the medial condyle, featuring various fixation holes and drill guides to facilitate better support and stabilization of the medial condyle, including anterior-medial, posterior-medial, and direct medial configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional lateral proximal tibia bone plates are used, then lateral condyle fixation is achieved, but medial condyle portions cannot be adequately reached or stabilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by developing bone plates specifically designed for the medial side of the proximal tibia, rather than using lateral plates. The medial bone plate mirrors the design principles of lateral plates but is configured to fit the medial condyle anatomy, providing direct access and stabilization to medial condyle portions that were previously inaccessible with lateral approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating bone plates with head portions specifically contoured to match the medial condyle's unique anatomy. The plates feature variable thickness regions, localized fixation holes, and offset configurations tailored to the specific geometric characteristics of the medial proximal tibia, ensuring optimal fit and stabilization for this specific anatomical location.
2Reliability
If lateral proximal tibia bone plates are used, then lateral side stabilization is achieved, but posterior fragments and hard-to-reach areas cannot be adequately fixed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by positioning the bone plate on the medial side rather than the lateral side. This medial approach provides superior access to posterior fragments and hard-to-reach areas of the proximal tibia, as the medial side offers a more direct surgical pathway to these regions compared to the lateral approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dimensionality change by utilizing the medial dimension of the proximal tibia to access posterior fragments. By approaching from the medial side rather than laterally, the surgery gains access to previously unreachable posterior bone fragments through a different spatial dimension, improving fixation capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If bone plates with fixed geometry are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but intraoperative adaptation to individual anatomy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by incorporating regions of variable thickness into the bone plate design. These thinned regions allow the plate to be bent and contoured intraoperatively to match the specific anatomy of each patient's medial condyle, while maintaining standardized manufacturing for the base geometry. The plate transitions from a rigid standardized form to an adapted custom-fit configuration through controlled deformation of specific regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by designing bone plates that transition from a fixed standardized geometry during manufacturing to an adaptable contoured shape during surgery. The plates incorporate flexible regions that can be bent and shaped intraoperatively to conform to individual anatomical variations, allowing the same standardized plate design to adapt dynamically to different patient anatomies.
Data Source
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AI summary
In one example, a bone plate comprises a proximal head extending from a first head end to a second head end, and a distal shaft connected to the proximal head and extending from a first shaft end to a second shaft end, wherein the proximal head is shaped to conform to a proximal medial portion of a tibia.