Metatarsophalangeal Prosthesis for Bone-Sparing Modular Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metatarsophalangeal joint implants often cause bone loss, misalignment, and are not easily removable or replaceable, limiting their effectiveness and the ability to perform a joint fusion if necessary.
Innovation Solution
A metatarsophalangeal arthroplasty prosthesis system comprising a metatarsal and toe post screws with cross holes, guides, and caps, allowing for secure fixation and easy removal or replacement, minimizing bone loss and enabling joint fusion if needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional implants are used to replace damaged cartilage in the MTP joint, then mobility is restored, but bone loss occurs and the implant cannot be easily removed or replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into separate modular components: a metatarsal head component and a proximal phalanx base component. This segmentation allows each component to be independently positioned and secured with screws, minimizing bone removal while enabling easy removal or replacement of individual components without affecting the other.
2Reliability
If traditional implants are used to restore joint mobility, then the joint can glide smoothly, but the implant causes misalignment and poor positioning
Solution Approach 1:
Guide holes are pre-formed in the metatarsal head and proximal phalanx base components during implant manufacturing. These guide holes ensure precise alignment and positioning when the components are assembled together and secured with screws, eliminating misalignment issues that occur with traditional implants.
3Reliability
If traditional implants are used to replace damaged cartilage, then joint mobility is improved, but the implant cannot be easily replaced when components wear
Solution Approach 1:
The implant consists of separate modular components that can be independently removed and replaced. The metatarsal head component and proximal phalanx base component are secured with separate screws, allowing either component to be removed and replaced without affecting the other component or requiring removal of the entire implant.
4Reliability
If traditional implants are used to cover damaged cartilage, then joint function is restored, but fusion of the joint cannot occur if the implant is removed
Solution Approach 1:
The implant components are designed to be completely removable from the MTP joint. When removal is desired, the screws are unscrewed and the implant components are extracted from the joint space, leaving the bone surfaces intact and ready for natural fusion to occur without requiring additional bone grafting or surgical intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A metatarsophalangeal arthroplasty prothesis system can include a metatarsal post screw including a cross hole formed therethrough. The system can include a metatarsal cross screw configured to be disposed in the cross hole of the metatarsal post screw. The system can include a metatarsal guide configured to be removably disposed in the metatarsal post screw and configured to guide the metatarsal cross screw into the cross hole. The system can include a metatarsal cap configured to be removably disposed in the metatarsal post screw. The system can include a toe post screw including a cross hole formed therethrough. The system can include a toe cross screw configured to be disposed in the cross hole. The system can include a toe guide and a toe cap configured to be removably disposed in the toe post screw.