Microfracture Pick Tip Reinforcement for Bone Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microfracture picks face difficulties in advancing through hard cortical bone, leading to potential tip breakage and damage to surrounding tissue, and the use of strike plates makes the device cumbersome and limits access to the surgical site.
Innovation Solution
A microfracture pick with an elongated member featuring a sharp, angled tip and at least one engaging feature for a strike instrument, allowing force translation through the shaft for effective penetration without tip damage and improved access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a conventional microfracture pick is struck with a hammer to advance through cortical bone, then penetration capability is improved, but the tip may break or become damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The microfracture pick is segmented into distinct functional zones: a reinforced tip section with increased wall thickness and density for durability, a shaft section for force transmission, and a handle section for user control. This segmentation allows the tip to withstand impact forces without breaking while maintaining overall device functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The tip is pre-reinforced with increased wall thickness and material density before use, creating a buffer zone that absorbs impact stresses. This beforehand strengthening prevents tip breakage during the striking operation without requiring additional protective measures during the procedure.
2Force
If a conventional microfracture pick is struck with a hammer to advance through cortical bone, then penetration capability is improved, but surrounding tissue may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The microfracture pick features localized reinforcement at the tip section with increased wall thickness and material density, while the shaft and handle maintain standard dimensions. This local quality enhancement concentrates the reinforcement exactly where impact forces are applied, protecting against tissue damage without adding unnecessary mass or complexity elsewhere in the device.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attempting to soften the tip to protect tissue, the invention inverts the approach by strategically hardening and reinforcing the tip with increased wall thickness and material density. This inversion allows the tip to withstand impact forces while the controlled geometry and reinforcement pattern prevent excessive force transmission to surrounding tissues.
3Force
If a strike plate is attached to the shaft or handle, then penetration capability is improved, but the device becomes heavy and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The microfracture pick merges the strike surface functionality directly into the handle section, eliminating the need for a separate attached strike plate. The handle is designed with an integrated impact-resistant surface that can be struck by a hammer, combining the functions of handle and strike plate into a single unified structure, thereby reducing overall device weight and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle section serves multiple functions: it provides user grip, transmits applied forces to the shaft, and incorporates an integrated strike surface for hammer impact. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components like attached strike plates, reducing device weight and cumbersome characteristics while maintaining penetration capability.
4Force
If a strike plate is attached to the shaft or handle, then penetration capability is improved, but access to the surgical site is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The microfracture pick combines the strike surface functionality directly into the handle section, creating a compact integrated design. This merging eliminates the need for external strike plates that would protrude and interfere with surgical site access, while still providing the necessary impact surface for hammer strikes to achieve effective penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The strike surface is repositioned from a separate attached component (external dimension) to an integrated feature of the handle (internal dimension). This dimensional reorganization allows the strike functionality to be accessed without adding external bulk that would limit surgical site access, as the strike surface is now part of the handle's internal structure rather than an external attachment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces instances of tip fracturing and skiving, enhancing penetration effectiveness while maintaining device maneuverability and access to the surgical site.
Implementation Method 1
The sharp tip of the microfracture pick is then driven about 2 mm to 5 mm through underlying subchondral bone in the region of the removed layer of cartilage to reach a blood supply
Implementation Method 2
at least one engaging feature disposed at one or more locations on the shaft for engaging a complementary feature of a strike instrument, wherein the user can use the strike instrument to produce a force that is translated via the shaft through the tip
Data Source
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AI summary
A microfracture pick having features configured to aid a user in advancing the microfracture pick through bone. The microfracture pick has an elongated member with a proximal end, a distal end, a sharp, optionally angled tip disposed adjacent the distal end of the elongated member, and at least one engaging feature disposed at one or more locations on the elongated member for engaging a complementary feature of a strike instrument. By striking an impact surface of the strike instrument, the user can produce a force that is translated via the elongated member of the microfracture pick through the tip, thereby making penetration of the tip through the bone more effective.