Intramedullary Nail With Fixation Bracket for Bone and Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone nail technologies require separate surgeries to fix fractures and soft tissue injuries, increasing operative time and setup, with no existing implant system capable of simultaneously addressing proximal humeral fractures, humeral shaft fractures, and rotator cuff tears, as well as lacking effective fixation for clavicle, radius, and fibula bones.
Innovation Solution
A flexible intramedullary nail device with a fixation bracket that integrates soft tissue repair, utilizing titanium alloy or stainless steel materials, and 3D printing technology to create customized shapes for bone and soft tissue ingrowth, featuring a tab for secure suture attachment and reduced bone trauma through smaller incisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate surgeries are used to fix bone fractures and soft tissue injuries, then each injury type can be treated with specialized techniques, but operative time and surgical setup time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate bone fixation and soft tissue repair functions into a single integrated intramedullary nail system. The nail includes both intramedullary fixation capabilities for bone fractures and external tabs with suture holes for soft tissue attachment, allowing both procedures to be performed in one surgery through one incision site.
Solution Approach 2:
The intramedullary nail is designed as a universal implant that can simultaneously address multiple injury types including proximal humeral fractures, humeral shaft fractures, and rotator cuff tears. The same implant system provides both internal bone fixation and external soft tissue repair capabilities across different bone types (humerus, clavicle, radius, fibula).
2Ease of operation
If multiple holes are made in the bone to pass sutures through, then soft tissue can be repaired, but bone trauma increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces external tabs as intermediary elements that extend from the intramedullary nail. These tabs provide attachment points for sutures without requiring direct suture passage through the bone. The tabs act as mediators between the internal nail and external soft tissue, allowing soft tissue repair while avoiding additional bone holes and associated trauma.
3Ease of operation
If larger incisions are made to access bone and soft tissue separately, then complete repair is possible, but surgical complexity and trauma increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the access pathways for bone and soft tissue repair into a single incision. The intramedullary nail provides internal bone fixation through the incision, while external tabs extending from the nail provide access points for soft tissue suturing through the same incision site, eliminating the need for separate surgical approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds an external dimension to the intramedullary nail by incorporating tabs that extend outward from the bone. This dimensional extension allows soft tissue attachment points to be accessible externally while the nail remains positioned internally within the medullary canal, enabling dual-function access through one incision.
Data Source
AI summary
A nail device for fixing proximal bone fractures and muscle tears. The nail device includes a flexible nail adapted to be inserted into a bone and a fixation bracket attached to the nail adapted to repair soft tissue injuries.