Modular Drill Guide With Articulations For Bone Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unreduced and malunited bone fractures lead to significant anatomical function loss, and existing methods lack effective preoperative planning for corrective osteotomy, particularly in aligning bone segments post-osteotomy.
Innovation Solution
A drill guide system that allows preoperative planning and adjustment for rotational and longitudinal corrections, enabling precise alignment and fixation of bone segments using a T-shaped or L-shaped bone plate, with adjustable articulations and scales for accurate hole drilling before osteotomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a drill guide system with adjustable articulations is used for preoperative planning, then manufacturing precision and alignment accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide system is divided into separate modular components including a longitudinal bone plate, a transverse bone plate, and multiple independent articulations. Each articulation can be independently adjusted and locked, allowing precise positioning without requiring a monolithic complex structure. This segmentation enables the system to achieve high alignment accuracy while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The drill guide incorporates adjustable articulations with locking mechanisms that allow the system to transition from a static to a dynamic state during preoperative planning. The articulations can be adjusted to match the specific anatomical corrections needed, then locked in place to maintain the planned configuration. This dynamic adjustability enables customization for different patients and correction types without requiring multiple specialized devices.
2Measurement precision
If preoperative planning with adjustable scales is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement and adjustment functions are segmented into distinct components: scales on the bone plates for measurement, and separate articulation mechanisms for adjustment. This segmentation allows the measurement function to be optimized with precise scales while the operation is simplified through independent adjustment of each component, reducing the cognitive load on the surgeon.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulations serve as intermediary elements between the measurement scales and the final bone plate positioning. The scales provide precise measurement information, while the articulations translate these measurements into physical positioning adjustments. This intermediary mechanism mediates between the need for precise measurement and the need for easy operation, allowing surgeons to make accurate adjustments without directly manipulating complex measurement instruments.
Data Source
AI summary
A drill guide includes a first bone plate that extends along a first middle plane, and a second bone plate that extends along a second middle plane. The drill guide further includes a first articulation and a second articulation that is connected to the first articulation. The first and second articulations are arranged between the first and the second bone plate. Each of the first and second articulations is releasably lockable.