Plate-to-Nail Alignment Pin/K-Wire for Precise Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone plates lack alignment mechanisms for surgical tools, particularly aiming or targeting devices, which are essential for precise drilling of pilot holes for screw insertion, especially when the bone plate does not have pre-designed holes for such devices.
Innovation Solution
An aiming block system is introduced, featuring bores that align with the bone plate holes, utilizing pins to secure the aiming block to the bone plate and intramedullary nail, ensuring precise alignment of surgical tools for drilling and screw insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an aiming or targeting device is used to facilitate precise drilling of pilot holes, then manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases because the bone plate must include pre-designed holes and integrated aiming mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the aiming function from the bone plate structure itself, using a separate detachable aiming block that interfaces with the bone plate through corresponding holes. This segmentation allows the bone plate to remain simple while the aiming block provides the necessary alignment capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The aiming block serves multiple functions: it aligns drilling tools with bone plate holes, provides a reference for screw insertion angles, and can be detached when no longer needed. This multi-functionality in a separate component avoids increasing bone plate complexity while maintaining precision.
2Measurement precision
If aiming or targeting devices are integrated into the bone plate, then alignment accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because the device cannot be easily removed or adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The aiming block is designed to be detachable and repositionable, allowing dynamic adjustment during surgery. It can be removed when alignment is complete or repositioned if adjustments are needed, providing operational flexibility while maintaining alignment accuracy when in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The aiming block acts as an intermediary tool between the surgeon and the bone plate, providing alignment functionality without being permanently integrated. This intermediary approach allows easy removal and adjustment while preserving the precision benefits during the alignment phase.
3Productivity
If the bone plate includes holes for aiming devices, then productivity is improved by streamlining the alignment process, but adaptability deteriorates because the plate design is constrained to specific hole patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The aiming block is designed to interface with standard bone plate hole patterns, making it universally applicable to different bone plate designs without requiring custom integration. This allows productivity improvement through streamlined alignment while preserving adaptability across various plate configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The aiming block replicates the hole pattern of the bone plate in a removable format, allowing it to interface with any bone plate that has standard hole patterns. This copying approach enables efficient alignment without constraining the bone plate design to specific patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for aligning an aiming block with respect to a bone includes driving a bone screw into a bone to pass a tip of the bone screw through a hole of an intramedullary nail and to anchor a head of the bone screw in a cortical region of the bone; inserting a pin extending from a surface of an aiming block through a hole of a bone plate; and contacting the pin against the head of the bone screw to align the hole of the bone plate with the head of the bone screw.