Pivoting Bone Plate for Intramedullary Nail Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone fixation systems face challenges in aligning and securing bone plates with intramedullary nails, particularly when the nail length increases, due to factors such as nail deflection and deformation, making it difficult to target locking holes at the leading end and align the distal end of the plate with the nail.
Innovation Solution
A bone plate design that allows angular adjustability by pivoting about a central hole axis, enabling alignment with an intramedullary nail through a range of angulation, facilitated by a hole structure that includes a first hole for a locking member and a second hole arrangement that allows the plate to pivot and secure to the underlying bone at any selected angulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the length of the IM nail increases to provide better fixation, then the fixation strength is improved, but the difficulty of targeting locking holes and aligning the plate increases due to nail deflection and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
Aiming arms with aiming elements serve as intermediary tools between the surgeon and the locking holes. These aiming arms extend along the longitudinal axis of the IM nail and provide visual alignment cues (aiming elements) that guide the placement of locking screws, overcoming the difficulty of targeting locking holes in long nails caused by deflection and deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The aiming arms are pre-positioned on the IM nail before screw insertion. The aiming elements are预先 configured to indicate the correct trajectory and position for locking screw placement, allowing the surgeon to accurately target locking holes without having to visually estimate the complex three-dimensional geometry of long nails
2Adaptability or versatility
If the length of the plate increases to extend from the end region to the shaft region, then the fixation coverage is improved, but the difficulty of aligning the distal end of the plate with the IM nail increases
Solution Approach 1:
Aiming arms serve as intermediary alignment tools that bridge the gap between the plate and the IM nail. The aiming elements on these arms provide visual references that guide the alignment of the plate's distal end with the corresponding portion of the IM nail, making the alignment process straightforward even for long plates
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transforms a complex three-dimensional alignment problem into a simpler one-dimensional problem along the longitudinal axis. By providing aiming elements that extend along the longitudinal axis, the patent reduces the alignment task to matching positions along a single line, rather than simultaneously matching multiple spatial coordinates
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple plate sizes and geometries are provided to treat various fracture types, then the adaptability to different indications is improved, but the device complexity and plate selection complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bone plate is designed with a universal structure that can be used with IM nails of various lengths and for different fracture types. The plate's hole pattern and geometry are configured to accommodate different surgical scenarios, allowing a single plate design to replace multiple specialized plates, thereby reducing device complexity and selection complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A bone plate includes first and second ends opposed along a longitudinal axis oriented along a longitudinal direction, first and second sides opposed along a lateral direction, and a bone-facing surface and an outer surface opposed along a transverse direction. The plate defines a first hole and a second hole arrangement extending from the outer to the bone-facing surface. The second hole arrangement is distal of the first hole, which is configured to receive a first fixation member, and the second hole arrangement is configured to receive at least one second fixation member for affixing with underlying bone. The plate is pivotable along an angulation range about the first hole. The second hole arrangement laterally crosses the longitudinal axis, defines the angulation range, and allows the at least one second fixation member to substantially secure the plate to the underlying bone at any angulation within the angulation range.