Modular Hip Implant with Intramedullary Rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hip replacement implants either fail to protect the entire femur from fracture or cannot span the femur, making them inadequate for patients with metastatic bone cancer affecting both the femoral head and shaft, as they are either incapable of replacing the femoral head or spanning the entire femur.
Innovation Solution
A modular two-piece implant system consisting of a femoral component and a securing intermedullary rod/nail, where the rod is received in a locking arrangement by a longitudinal fenestration of the femoral component, allowing for a tapered interconnection and secure engagement, enabling both hip replacement and protection of the femur from fracture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an arthroplasty implant is selected to replace the femoral head, then the hip replacement function is achieved, but the implant cannot span the entire femur to protect against shaft fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two previously separate implant types (arthroplasty implant for hip replacement and intramedullary rod for shaft protection) into a single integrated device. The arthroplasty component includes an intramedullary rod that extends through the femur, merging the head replacement function with the shaft protection function into one unified implant system.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated implant serves multiple functions simultaneously: it replaces the femoral head through the arthroplasty component while also spanning the femoral shaft to prevent fractures. This multi-functional design eliminates the need to choose between hip replacement capability and shaft protection, allowing both functions to be achieved with a single implant.
2Length of moving object
If an intramedullary rod is selected to protect the femoral shaft, then the fracture protection function is achieved, but the implant cannot replace the femoral head
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the intramedullary rod structure with the arthroplasty component, creating a unified implant where the rod extends through the shaft and connects to the head replacement portion. This merging allows the same implant to provide both shaft protection and head replacement functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The intramedullary rod component is designed to serve dual purposes: protecting the femoral shaft from fractures while also serving as the structural foundation for the hip replacement. This multi-functional design resolves the limitation of traditional rods that could only protect the shaft.
3Reliability
If separate implants are used for hip replacement and shaft protection, then each function can be optimized, but the placement of one implant prevents the placement of the other
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate arthroplasty implant and intramedullary rod into a single integrated device. This eliminates the placement conflict where one implant would prevent the other from being inserted, as only one surgical procedure is needed to implant the combined device.
Solution Approach 2:
While integrating the components, the design maintains segmental structure with distinct functional portions (arthroplasty component and intramedullary rod portion) that can be optimized independently while working together as a unified system. This segmentation within integration allows functional optimization without placement conflicts.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a device and treatment method for replacing the hip (in either a hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty), which protects the remainder of the femur from fracture. Such a device is highly applicable to the treatment of patients with current or impending fractures of the femur, particularly those with metastatic bone cancer, where there is concern for current or future metastatic disease of the femoral neck or head, which would necessitate hip replacement. The implant consists of a two-piece arrangement with a separate femoral component and a securing, intermedullary rod/nail that is received in a locking arrangement by a longitudinal fenestration of the femoral component.