Universal Osteotomy Implant for Bone Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Open wedge osteotomies face challenges in stabilizing bone portions during healing and require anatomically and procedurally specific implants, leading to inventory issues due to varying patient anatomy and surgical approaches.
Innovation Solution
A novel osteotomy implant with an elongated body featuring screw threads or bone anchoring mechanisms that can be advanced into a wedge-like opening to stabilize bone portions, allowing for a single size to accommodate various anatomies and corrections, and optionally accompanied by an osteotomy plate for additional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If anatomically-specific wedge-shaped implants are used to match patient anatomy and correction degree, then stabilization effectiveness is improved, but inventory complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant system uses a single universal elongated body design that can be adapted to different anatomies and correction degrees through selective use of attachment means (plates, screws, wedges) rather than requiring multiple anatomically-specific implant configurations. This universal design maintains stabilization effectiveness while dramatically reducing inventory complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into modular components: a universal elongated body with bone anchoring mechanisms at one end and multiple selectable attachment means at the other end. This segmentation allows the same core structure to be configured for different anatomical requirements, resolving the contradiction between customization and inventory simplicity.
2Reliability
If procedure-specific wedge-shaped implants are used for different surgical approaches (antero-medial, lateral), then stabilization effectiveness is improved, but inventory complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The universal elongated body design with selectable attachment means serves all surgical approaches (antero-medial, lateral, etc.) without requiring procedure-specific implants. The same implant can be configured differently based on surgical approach, maintaining effectiveness while eliminating the need for multiple procedure-specific implant configurations.
3Reliability
If metal plates and wedge-shaped implants are used to stabilize open wedge osteotomies, then bone stabilization is improved, but surgical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of separate metal plates and wedge-shaped implants into a single integrated elongated body structure. The bone anchoring mechanisms and attachment means are combined in one component, reducing the number of separate implantation steps and simplifying the surgical procedure while maintaining stabilization effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The implant provides flexible and secure stabilization of bone portions across different anatomies and procedures, reducing the need for multiple implant sizes and configurations, thus simplifying inventory and enhancing surgical flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
an elongated body characterized by a distal end and proximal end, the elongated body having a screw thread thereon
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing an open wedge osteotomy, the method comprising:forming a cut in a bone;manipulating the portions of the bone adjacent to the cut so as to open the cut into a wedge-like opening;providing an osteotomy implant, wherein the osteotomy implant comprises:an elongated body characterized by a distal end and proximal end, the elongated body having a screw thread thereon;positioning at least the distal end of the elongated body into the wedge-like opening so that the screw thread engages the surrounding bone; andthreadingly advancing the elongated body into the wedge-like opening until the portions of the bone assume the desired positioning, with the elongated body stabilizing the bone portions in this position.