Orthopedic Spacer Assembly for Multi-Plane Bone Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthopedic implants, such as stepped plates, are costly to produce and require large inventories due to varying dimensions for multiple plane corrections in bone realignment procedures, and often fail to accommodate custom or specialty anatomy effectively.
Innovation Solution
An orthopedic spacer assembly comprising a bone plate with a spacer that has a C-shaped body with a central bore, allowing for adjustable alignment in multiple planes, and can be used with existing bone plates to provide additional biomechanical alignment, reducing the need for multiple plate sizes and inventory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If stepped plates are used to provide correction in multiple planes, then alignment capability in multiple planes is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the alignment function into two separate components: a standard bone plate for basic alignment and a separate spacer assembly for additional multi-plane correction. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simpler, more cost-effective processes, avoiding the need to machine complex stepped plates from solid blocks while still achieving multi-plane alignment capability through the combination of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer assembly acts as an intermediary component between the bone plate and the bone. It provides the additional alignment correction in multiple planes without requiring the bone plate itself to have complex stepped geometry. The spacer can be positioned at various locations along the bone plate to provide the needed correction, serving as a mediating element that enables multi-plane alignment while keeping the bone plate design simple and cost-effective.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple plate sizes and configurations are provided for different anatomies, then adaptability to different patients is improved, but inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate is designed as a universal component that can be used across different patient anatomies and correction requirements. By separating the alignment function into a standard plate and an adjustable spacer assembly, the same bone plate design can serve multiple purposes - from basic single-plane alignment to complex multi-plane corrections - eliminating the need to maintain large inventories of specialized plates for different anatomical configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer assembly provides dynamic adjustability in terms of position, size, and orientation along the bone plate. This allows the same bone plate to accommodate various correction requirements by simply changing the spacer characteristics rather than requiring different plate designs. The system transitions from static, fixed-configuration plates to a dynamic configuration where the spacer can be adjusted to match specific patient needs.
3Manufacturing precision
If stepped plates with various dimensions are produced, then correction precision in multiple planes is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the precision alignment function from the basic bone plate structure. The standard bone plate is manufactured with simple, precise features for basic fixation and alignment, while the spacer assembly handles the complex multi-plane correction precision. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured with appropriate precision requirements without unnecessarily complicating the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex multi-plane correction functionality is extracted from the bone plate and placed into a separate spacer assembly. This extraction allows the bone plate to be manufactured with simpler, less complex geometry while the spacer independently provides the precise multi-plane correction through its own specialized features, such as angled surfaces and positioning mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic spacer assembly can include a bone plate and a spacer. The bone plate can include a first end portion and a second end portion, the second end portion defining a plurality of anchor openings. The spacer can have a c-shaped body and can include a central bore extending through a thickness of the spacer. The spacer can be disposed between the bone plate and a subject's bone such that the central bore of the spacer aligns with an anchor opening of the plurality of anchor openings.