Patient-Matched Cutting Block with Segmented Outriggers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current patient-matched instrumentation for orthopaedic procedures, such as knee arthroplasty, faces challenges in minimizing damage to healthy bone, maintaining structural rigidity, achieving appropriate soft tissue tension, and preserving the tibial eminence during surgical resections, while ensuring ease of use and speed.

Innovation Solution

A patient-matched cutting block and tibial cutting guide with surface features and guide slots adapted to specific anatomy, incorporating apertures for provisional fixation pins, retractor features to manage soft tissue, and reinforcing elements for enhanced rigidity, facilitating precise resections and minimizing bone damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If patient-matched guides are held in place by pins or screws, then positioning stability is improved, but damage to healthy bone increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning stabilityVSAvoiddamage to healthy bone

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is divided into multiple outrigger portions that can be independently positioned and secured, allowing the guide to be held in place without requiring pins or screws to penetrate healthy bone. Each outrigger can be attached to specific anatomical landmarks, distributing the securing function across multiple contact points rather than relying on invasive fixation elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide utilizes anatomic features and soft tissue as intermediary elements to achieve positioning stability. By designing the guide to interface with natural anatomical structures and utilizing soft tissue for retention, the system eliminates the need for bone-penetrating pins or screws, thereby avoiding damage to healthy bone while maintaining secure positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If traditional fixation methods are used, then guide stability is improved, but preservation of tibial eminence is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveguide stabilityVSAvoidpreservation of tibial eminence

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The guide incorporates multiple outrigger portions that can be selectively positioned to avoid interference with the tibial eminence. The segmented design allows each portion to be independently adjusted, enabling the guide to achieve stability through contact with the tibia while preserving the eminence for future soft tissue attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide is designed with pre-configured outrigger portions and guide slots that are positioned to facilitate future soft tissue reattachment. The preliminary positioning of these features ensures that the tibial eminence is preserved and ready for subsequent surgical steps, eliminating the need for aggressive fixation that would compromise the eminence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If patient-matched guides are designed with complex features, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of guide featuresVSAvoidcomplexity of guide structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide incorporates multiple functional features within a single integrated structure. The outrigger portions serve both as positioning elements and as guides for cutting tools, while the guide slots simultaneously define resection boundaries and provide tool pathways. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide utilizes adjustable and reconfigurable parameters to achieve precision without complexity. The outrigger portions and guide slots are designed with adjustable positioning capabilities, allowing the guide to be customized to specific patient anatomy through parameter adjustment rather than requiring complex custom-molded structures. This approach maintains manufacturing precision while simplifying the overall device design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11298140B2Patient-matched instrumentation and methods

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 SMITH & NEPHEW INC

AI summary

A patient-matched cutting block including a surface or point contact features adapted to at least partially conform to or reference a patient specific anatomy. The cutting block having guide slots configured for guiding the movement of cutting tools relative to the patient specific anatomy or features configured to mate to and guide standard cutting guides relative to patient specific anatomy in order to form plateau and eminence resections of the patient specific anatomy.