Modular Hip Implant Trialing System Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current modular femoral hip implant trialing systems face challenges in accurately determining and replicating the orientation of the distal stem relative to the proximal body during the implantation process, leading to potential misalignment and instability in the femoral hip joint.
Innovation Solution
A modular femoral hip implant trialing system is developed, featuring a proximal body with a tapered distal bore and passageway, a fastener with a head and stem, and a retention member that allows for precise alignment and locking of the distal stem within the proximal body, utilizing an alignment jig to record and replicate the orientation of the trial distal stem during trialing for accurate implant placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a trial distal stem is inserted in a reamed femoral canal to determine the proper orientation, then the orientation can be determined, but the complexity of the trialing system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The femoral implant is divided into separate modular components: a proximal body portion and a distal stem portion. This segmentation allows the distal stem to be trialed independently in the femoral canal while the proximal body is separately positioned, enabling precise orientation determination without requiring the complete assembled implant during the trialing phase.
Solution Approach 2:
An alignment jig is introduced as an intermediary device during trialing. The alignment jig includes a distal alignment component that interfaces with the distal stem and a proximal alignment component that interfaces with the proximal body, serving as a mediator to establish and maintain the correct relative orientation between the two modular components during the trialing process.
2Manufacturing precision
If the distal and proximal portions are attached to recreate the orientation, then the implant orientation is established, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the proper orientation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment jig incorporates visual indicators such as colored alignment features, contrasting markers, or illuminated guides that change or become visible when the distal stem and proximal body are in the correct relative orientation. These visual cues make it easy to detect and verify proper alignment during the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment jig is designed to self-align the proximal body and distal stem through its geometric constraints and mechanical interfaces. The jig's structure inherently guides the components into the correct orientation without requiring complex external measurement devices or manual adjustment, making the alignment process intuitive and reliable.
3Reliability
If a fastener and retention member are used to secure the distal stem, then the fixation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system merges multiple functions into integrated components. The retention member is designed to simultaneously secure the distal stem to the proximal body and provide alignment guidance. The fastener combines threading features, locking mechanisms, and alignment features in a single component, reducing the number of separate parts while maintaining reliable fixation.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular femoral hip implant trialing system. The system generally includes a proximal body, a fastener, and a fastener retention member. The proximal body includes a proximal bore, a tapered distal bore, and a passageway connecting the proximal bore to the distal bore. The proximal bore, the distal bore, and the passageway are aligned along a first axis. The fastener includes a head in the proximal bore and a stem in the distal bore, the fastener is aligned along the first axis. The fastener retention member is positioned in the proximal bore and is operable to retain at least a portion of the fastener within the proximal bore.