Modular Plate and Keel Provisionals with Captured Screw
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current prosthetic systems face challenges in ensuring proper alignment and stability during surgical implantation, leading to increased surgical time and potential misalignment of modular components.
Innovation Solution
A provisional prosthetic system featuring a keel with fins for rotational prevention and a plate with a captured screw mechanism that ensures secure alignment and fixation, utilizing a flanged head and external threads to prevent screw disengagement, and alignment apertures for visual confirmation of proper positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a provisional prosthetic system uses a captured screw mechanism to secure the plate to the keel, then the reliability of the connection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The captured screw mechanism embeds the screw within the plate structure itself. The plate includes a recess that receives the screw, and the screw is retained by the plate through interaction of its flanged head and external threads with the top and bottom surfaces of the plate. This nesting approach integrates the retention function into the plate structure, improving reliability while managing complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate structure serves itself by incorporating the screw retention mechanism directly into its design. The recess in the plate automatically captures and retains the screw through its geometric features (flanged head interaction with top surface, external threads interaction with bottom surface), eliminating the need for separate retention components or complex assembly procedures.
2Manufacturing precision
If the provisional system includes alignment features such as fins and alignment apertures, then the manufacturing precision of component alignment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system uses visual feedback through alignment apertures that allow the surgeon to observe whether the keel fins are properly positioned relative to the plate. When properly aligned, the fins are visible through the alignment aperture, providing immediate visual confirmation without requiring complex alignment tools or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment aperture provides real-time feedback during the assembly process. The surgeon can visually confirm proper alignment by observing the keel fins through the aperture, allowing for immediate correction if misalignment is detected, thereby ensuring precise component positioning.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the keel includes fins to prevent rotation, then the stability of the keel in bone is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The keel includes fins that extend outwardly from the keel body in asymmetric configurations. These fins are specifically shaped and positioned to engage with the bone structure and prevent rotation of the keel once implanted. The asymmetric design provides rotational stability while maintaining a relatively simple overall keel structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A provisional prosthetic system and the surgical methods for utilizing the same. In one embodiment, the provisional prosthetic system includes a keel and a plate configured to be secured to the keel. The keel may further include a body and at least one fin extending outwardly therefrom. The fin functions to prevent rotation of the keel once it is implanted within a bone. In one embodiment, the plate includes a captured screw having a flanged head and external threads. The captured screw is retained by the plate and configured to secure the plate to the keel. In this embodiment, the captured screw extends through an aperture in the plate. Further, the captured screw may be retained by the plate due to the interaction of the flange head and external threads of the captured screw with the top and bottom surfaces of the plate, respectively.