Patella Drill Guide Single-Handed Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgeons face difficulty in holding the patella and a drill guide stationary during patella replacement procedures, especially when the patella is everted, requiring multiple hands and limiting the ability to evaluate proper tracking of asymmetric prosthetic patella implants before drilling mounting holes.
Innovation Solution
A patella drill guide with a handle, base portion, cantilever spring member, and bone-gripping member that allows single-handed stabilization of the patella and drill guide, enabling evaluation of patella tracking before drilling and facilitating rotational adjustments for optimal implant alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional drill guide is used during patella replacement, then the drill guide can be simple in structure, but the surgeon cannot hold the patella and drill guide with one hand, requiring multiple hands and reducing surgical efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drill guide with a bone-gripping member that can clamp onto the patella, merging the functions of guiding the drill and securing the bone into a single integrated device. This allows the surgeon to hold both the patella and drill guide with one hand while drilling with the other hand, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The bone-gripping member acts as an intermediary between the surgeon's hand and the patella, providing a mechanical connection that secures the bone to the drill guide. This intermediary component enables single-handed operation by transferring the gripping function from the surgeon's fingers to the device itself
2Productivity
If mounting holes are drilled before placing the trial patella component, then the surgical process can proceed efficiently, but the surgeon cannot evaluate patella tracking and make adjustments, compromising implant alignment precision
Solution Approach 1:
The drill guide includes a trial component with an articulating surface that can be placed on the resected patella surface before drilling the mounting holes. This preliminary action allows the surgeon to evaluate patella tracking and make rotational adjustments to optimize implant alignment before the holes are drilled, resolving the contradiction between surgical efficiency and alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The drill guide allows rotational adjustment of the trial component relative to the patella, enabling dynamic evaluation of different implant orientations. The surgeon can rotate the trial component to find the optimal tracking position before finalizing the hole positions, maintaining both efficiency and precision
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
Enables surgeons to hold the patella and drill guide with one hand, allowing for pre-drilling evaluation and adjustment of patella tracking, thereby improving the precision and efficiency of patella implant placement.
Implementation Method 1
The cantilever spring member has one end fixed to the handle and an opposite free end aligned with the flat patella bone-facing surface of the base portion. The bone-gripping member is at the free end of the cantilever spring member
Implementation Method 2
The deflector is connected to the handle. The deflector engages a portion of the cantilever spring member between the two ends. Activation of the deflector moves the bone-gripping member of the cantilever spring member from the relaxed position to the deflected position
Data Source
AI summary
A patella drill guide includes a base with a flat patella bone-facing surface, a drill guide bore extending through the base, a cantilever spring member and a bone-gripping member. The cantilever spring member biases the bone-gripping member and the flat patella bone-facing surface toward each other. Flexing the cantilever spring member moves the bone-gripping member away from the flat patella bone-facing surface so that the drill guide can be placed on the patella. When the cantilever spring member is released, the patella is clamped between the bone-gripping member and the flat patella bone-facing surface. The drill guide may have sizing indicia and may be part of a kit including trial components to be mounted to the drill guide.