Partial-Circumference Surgical Reamer for Spinal Tissue Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical reamers used in spinal surgery lack protective surfaces to safeguard nerves and tissue during bone removal, leading to potential injuries and prolonged recovery times due to their rotational cutting mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A surgical reamer with a cutting section extending along less than 50% of the shaft's circumference, featuring a continuous non-cutting protective surface and a protective tip, allowing for oscillating rotational movement to minimize contact with sensitive areas, and a guide channel for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotational cutting mechanism is used to remove bone material, then bone removal efficiency is improved, but the risk of injuring surrounding nerves and tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting section is segmented to extend along only part of the circumference of the shaft (less than 50%), creating discrete cutting zones separated by non-cutting protective zones. This segmentation allows the reamer to remove bone efficiently through rotation while the non-cutting portions protect surrounding nerves and tissue from injury.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the reamer shaft have different functional qualities: the cutting section has aggressive cutting edges for bone removal, while the non-cutting section has a smooth protective surface for safeguarding surrounding structures. This local differentiation of properties resolves the contradiction between efficient bone removal and protection of sensitive areas.
2Productivity
If a cutting section extends along the entire circumference of the shaft, then bone removal capability is maximized, but protection of surrounding sensitive areas is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting section is divided into a partial circumferential arrangement rather than a continuous 360-degree configuration. By limiting the cutting section to less than 50% of the circumference, the design segments the functional zones, allowing simultaneous bone removal capability and protective coverage for surrounding nerves and tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The reamer features an asymmetric design where the cutting section occupies only a portion of the circumference rather than being uniformly distributed. This asymmetric arrangement creates distinct cutting and protective zones, enabling the tool to both remove bone effectively and protect sensitive surrounding structures during rotation.
3Measurement precision
If the cutting section is positioned at the distal tip of the reamer, then precise targeting is improved, but the ability to protect distal structures during insertion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The non-cutting protective section is positioned at the distal end of the shaft before the cutting section, creating a protective barrier that contacts and protects surrounding structures during insertion and positioning. This preliminary protective action occurs before the cutting section engages the bone, preventing injury to nerves and tissue during the critical insertion phase while still allowing precise targeting.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a surgical reamer for removing bone, e.g., to access the spinal canal, the surgical reamer comprising: a shaft 2 extending longitudinally along the length of the surgical reamer; and a cutting section 1 for cutting bone, the cutting section 1 being situated at a distal portion of the shaft 2, wherein the cutting section 1 is provided at a lateral surface of the shaft 2 so as to extend along part of the circumference of the shaft 2, and the cutting section 1 extends along less than 50% of the circumference of the shaft 2. Furthermore, a corresponding set of reamers and a method for removing bone with a surgical reamer are provided.