Pectus Bar Stabilizer Locking Mechanism for Medial Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hardware solutions for correcting pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum are difficult to secure to a patient's ribs, especially when incisions are laterally placed, making it challenging for physicians to attach and position stabilizers effectively, which can prolong surgical procedures and increase damage.
Innovation Solution
A pectus bar assembly with a stabilizer that includes a locking mechanism and can be secured anywhere along the pectus bar, featuring bar bores for sutures and a recessed portion for easy placement and locking, allowing for medial placement and reducing procedural complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If incisions are located on the outer (lateral) portion of the chest wall for aesthetic purposes, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but it becomes difficult for physicians to attach stabilizers to the pectus bar, position the stabilizer at a desired location, and secure the stabilizers to the pectus bar
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer is divided into multiple portions (first portion and second portion) that can be independently positioned and secured to the pectus bar. This segmentation allows the stabilizer to be attached at optimal locations along the bar even when incisions are laterally placed, maintaining both aesthetic appearance and surgical accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer can be positioned at multiple locations along the length of the pectus bar, adding a longitudinal dimension to the attachment options. This allows surgeons to optimize stabilizer placement for both aesthetic purposes and surgical accessibility, resolving the contradiction between lateral incision placement and stabilizer attachment difficulty.
2Reliability
If current hardware solutions are used to secure the pectus bar to the chest wall, then the pectus bar can be installed, but it is difficult to secure the hardware to the patient's ribs and prolongs the surgical procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer portions are pre-configured with engagement features that can be readily attached to the pectus bar. The bar bores are pre-positioned to receive sutures, and the stabilizer geometry is designed in advance to facilitate quick attachment and positioning during surgery, reducing procedural time while maintaining secure fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer acts as an intermediary component between the pectus bar and the chest wall. It provides a simplified interface for attachment to the ribs through sutures while maintaining secure connection to the pectus bar, thereby streamlining the overall securing process and reducing surgical time.
3Ease of operation
If stabilizers are placed laterally to match incision locations, then attachment is easier, but the moments and forces applied to the stabilizer increase, reducing stabilization effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer utilizes the longitudinal dimension of the pectus bar to achieve optimal positioning. By allowing placement at multiple locations along the bar's length, the design enables surgeons to position stabilizers medially where they can better resist moments and forces, rather than being constrained to lateral attachment points that would increase mechanical loads.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the stabilizer are designed with specific geometries optimized for their local functions. The first and second portions can be positioned at different locations along the pectus bar, allowing each to optimally resist specific forces and moments based on its local position, thereby improving overall stabilization effectiveness while maintaining attachment ease.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A pectus bar assembly (200) includes a pectus bar (202) and a stabilizer (204). The pectus can bar include a first portion including a first periphery and a second portion opposite the first portion. The stabilizer can include a stabilizer body including a recess engageable with the second portion. The stabilizer can also include a locking cam (216) rotatable within the body to secure the stabilizer to the first portion.