Orthopedic Reamer Guide Locking Assembly for Fluoroscopy-Free Alignment

Solution Overview

Problem

Total joint replacement surgeries face challenges with misalignment due to the use of intra-operative fluoroscopy, which increases surgery time and exposes patients to ionizing radiation, leading to discomfort and potential degradation of the prosthesis.

Innovation Solution

Custom surgical guides and fixtures are created using CT or MRI scans to accurately align bone resections, reducing or eliminating the need for fluoroscopy by utilizing patient-specific instruments that fit the anatomical contours of the joint.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If intra-operative fluoroscopy is used to check alignment of intramedullary cavities, then measurement precision is improved, but surgery time increases and patient is exposed to ionizing radiation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidsurgery time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Patient-specific surgical guides are manufactured in advance based on pre-operative imaging data (CT or MRI scans). These guides incorporate alignment features and registration markers that are custom-fitted to the patient's unique anatomy, allowing precise bone resection and prosthesis alignment to be performed without intra-operative fluoroscopy, thereby eliminating radiation exposure and reducing surgery time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical fluoroscopy-based alignment verification system with a pre-planned, patient-specific mechanical guide system. The surgical guides incorporate registration features that match pre-operative imaging data, allowing alignment to be achieved through mechanical guidance rather than repeated fluoroscopic imaging, thus eliminating radiation exposure while maintaining alignment precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If intra-operative fluoroscopy is used to check alignment of intramedullary cavities, then measurement precision is improved, but patient is exposed to ionizing radiation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidionizing radiation exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Patient-specific surgical guides are manufactured in advance based on pre-operative imaging data (CT or MRI scans). These guides incorporate alignment features and registration markers that are custom-fitted to the patient's unique anatomy, allowing precise bone resection and prosthesis alignment to be performed without intra-operative fluoroscopy, thereby eliminating radiation exposure and reducing surgery time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical fluoroscopy-based alignment verification system with a pre-planned, patient-specific mechanical guide system. The surgical guides incorporate registration features that match pre-operative imaging data, allowing alignment to be achieved through mechanical guidance rather than repeated fluoroscopic imaging, thus eliminating radiation exposure while maintaining alignment precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If custom patient-specific surgical guides are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical guide precisionVSAvoidsurgical guide complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patient-specific surgical guide is divided into distinct functional components: registration features that interface with pre-operative imaging data, alignment features that guide bone resection, and interface features that secure the guide to the patient's anatomy. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall precision, and simplifies manufacturing by using modular design elements that can be produced using additive manufacturing techniques

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12508039B2Orthopedic surgical guide

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS HLDG INC

AI summary

A surgical device includes an body extending from a proximal end to a distal end. The distal end of the body defines a notch sized and configured to receive a reamer. A coupling assembly is supported by the body and includes a reamer guide body disposed at the distal end of the body. The reamer guide body configured to move between a first position and a second position in which the reaming guide body extends at least partially across the notch. A locking assembly is supported by the body and is configured to releasably engage the coupling assembly to maintain the reamer guide body in the second position.