Orthopaedic Pin Extraction Instrument with Side Slot Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing instruments for extracting pins from substrates, particularly in orthopaedic surgery, face challenges when pins lack enlarged heads, as they require precise alignment, which is difficult due to the instrument blocking the surgeon's view, leading to potential misalignment and increased difficulty in removal.
Innovation Solution
An instrument with a first lever arm, a second pivoting lever arm, a gripping member, and a terminating member featuring a slot on the side and end face to guide the pin, allowing for flexible insertion from either the front or side, providing tactile feedback and enhanced visibility, and an inclined lever arm for better ergonomics and visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the instrument aperture is positioned at the tip for pin extraction, then the pin can be received into the instrument, but the instrument blocks the surgeon's view of the pin and aperture, making alignment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a side aperture in addition to the tip aperture, changing the dimensional access points for pin insertion. This allows the surgeon to approach the pin from the side rather than directly from the tip, bypassing the view-blocking issue while maintaining reliable pin reception through the side opening
2Manufacturing precision
If the surgeon positions the instrument at the correct angle for pin insertion, then the pin can be received through the aperture, but the surgeon cannot see the pin and aperture due to instrument obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The side aperture acts as an intermediary access point that allows the surgeon to insert the pin without directly aligning the tip aperture with the pin. This intermediate side opening provides tactile feedback and reduces the need for precise visual alignment, compensating for the lost visual information
Solution Approach 2:
The side aperture provides tactile feedback to the surgeon during pin insertion, allowing the surgeon to feel when the pin is correctly positioned and received. This tactile feedback compensates for the lack of visual feedback caused by instrument obstruction
3Reliability
If multiple attempts are made to align the pin with the aperture, then the pin can eventually be inserted, but the procedure time increases and difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pin access into two separate aperture options: a tip aperture and a side aperture. This segmentation allows the surgeon to choose the more accessible side aperture for pin insertion, reducing the number of attempts needed and improving procedure efficiency while maintaining reliable pin extraction capability
Data Source
AI summary
An instrument for extracting a pin from a substrate, such as a bone mass, which comprises a first lever arm with a body part having a channel in which a free end of a pin can be received, a second lever arm which can pivot relative to the first lever arm, a gripping member within the body part by which the pin can be gripped to retain the pin in the channel, and a terminating member mounted on the body part having an end face and two side walls which extend along opposite sides of the body part. The terminating member has a slot provided in a portion of the end face and which extends along a portion of at least one of the two side walls configured to guide the free end of the pin into the instrument prior to being received into the channel.