Adjustable Surgical Instrument With Pivot Alignment Guide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical alignment guides used in orthopaedic arthroplasty procedures, such as knee arthroplasty, lack sufficient adjustability, allowing only height adjustments of the cutting block, making it impossible to position the block at a desired or planned location.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument featuring a pivot mechanism that allows the alignment guide to be tilted relative to its base, maintaining consistent separation between the component and the brace, enabling angular adjustments without altering the overall length, and including a scale to display the tilt degree, along with a brace that securely attaches to the patient's limb.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the alignment guide is made fixed and non-adjustable, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability is limited making it impossible to position the cutting block at desired locations
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment guide transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamic adjustable structure through the pivot mechanism. The first part can be tilted relative to the second part, allowing the cutting block to be positioned at various angles and locations while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment guide is divided into multiple separable parts: a first part containing the cutting block and a second part containing the brace, connected by a pivot mechanism. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each part while keeping the overall device complexity manageable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cutting block height is adjusted, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases requiring multiple adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing separate adjustment mechanisms for height and angle, a single pivot mechanism provides both vertical height adjustment and angular tilting capability. This dynamic mechanism allows the cutting block to achieve multiple positions through one integrated adjustment system, reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument is described which comprises an alignment guide having a first part including a distal end and a second part having a proximal end. The first part is attached to the second part by a pivot mechanism so that the first part can be tilted relative to the second part. A brace is attached toward the proximal end of the alignment guide for attaching the instrument to a limb of a patient. A component is attached toward the distal end of the alignment guide. The pivot mechanism is configured so that tilting the first part does not substantially change the separation between the component and the brace.