Modular Knee Prosthesis Attachment for Bone Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current knee arthroplasty systems face challenges with poor bone quality, soft tissue degeneration, and soft tissue/implant mismatch, requiring additional and complex prosthetic systems that increase costs and logistical complications.
Innovation Solution
Modular systems that allow conversion of non-stemmed femoral prostheses to stemmed prostheses and non-augmented to augmented prostheses, providing improved fixation and stabilization, with compatible tibial bearing components and modular features such as boxes and stems that can be selectively attached to the femoral prosthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate prosthetic systems are provided to address different clinical needs (poor bone quality, soft tissue degeneration, stabilization requirements), then the ability to meet diverse clinical requirements is improved, but inventory complexity, cost, and logistical complications increase
Solution Approach 1:
The femoral prosthesis is designed with universal attachment features that can accommodate multiple types of tibial bearing components (PS, MLC, UC, CR) and optional stems through standardized attachment mechanisms. This allows a single femoral prosthesis design to serve multiple clinical functions that previously required separate prosthetic systems, thereby reducing inventory complexity while maintaining the ability to address diverse clinical needs including poor bone quality, soft tissue degeneration, and stabilization requirements
2Strength
If additional fixation features (stems, boxes, augments) are added to the femoral prosthesis to improve bone fixation and stabilization, then fixation strength is improved, but the structural complexity of the prosthesis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The femoral prosthesis is segmented into modular components including the main prosthesis body, optional stems, boxes, and augments that can be selectively attached or removed. This segmentation allows the prosthesis structure to be simplified for patients with good bone quality (using only the basic prosthesis) while providing the option to add fixation features (stems, boxes, augments) only when clinically necessary, thereby maintaining structural simplicity while improving fixation strength when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthesis configuration is made dynamic through selective attachment and removal of stems, boxes, and augments based on intraoperative assessment of bone quality and clinical needs. This allows the prosthesis to adapt its structural complexity during surgery, starting simple and adding fixation features only when required, rather than incorporating all possible features into every prosthesis design
3Adaptability or versatility
If a modular system with selective attachment features is used to convert non-stemmed to stemmed prostheses intraoperatively, then the ability to provide appropriate fixation is improved, but the surgical procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment features (attachment elements on the femoral prosthesis and corresponding attachment features on stems/boxes/augments) are pre-configured and designed to enable straightforward intraoperative attachment. The preliminary design of these standardized interfaces allows for simplified surgical procedures despite the modular nature, as the attachment mechanisms are engineered to be easily assembled during surgery without requiring complex preparation or specialized surgical techniques
Data Source
AI summary
According to one example, a system for a knee arthroplasty that can optionally comprise: a femoral prosthesis having a joint facing surface and an opposing bone facing surface, wherein the femoral prosthesis has one or more attachment elements at or adjacent the bone facing surface; and one or more features selectively attachable with the femoral prosthesis via the one or more attachment elements, wherein the one or more features comprise one of a box, a stem, or a combination of the box and the stem.