Positional support device and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for sacroiliac joint stabilization require extensive surgical exposure and dissection, leading to longer surgical times, increased risk of infection, and patient discomfort due to hardware prominence and pressure soreness.
Innovation Solution
A positional support device with a unique design that includes a bottom surface, top surface, and front surface, featuring angled and offset configurations to stabilize the pelvis, allowing for ergonomic support and reduced abdominal pressure, facilitating easier surgical access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional posterior iliac screws are used for SI joint stabilization, then the joint can be stabilized, but the hardware becomes prominent and causes patient discomfort and pressure soreness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a positioning block as an intermediary device that indirectly stabilizes the SI joint by maintaining proper pelvic alignment during surgery, rather than using prominent posterior screws that directly fixate the joint. This mediator approach achieves stabilization while avoiding the harmful prominence effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical screw fixation system with a positioning block system that uses geometric alignment and gravitational forces to achieve stabilization, eliminating the need for prominent posterior hardware.
2Reliability
If extensive surgical exposure and dissection are performed for SI joint stabilization, then the joint can be stabilized, but surgical time increases and risk of infection and wound complications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning block is designed to facilitate preliminary positioning and alignment before final fixation, allowing surgeons to establish proper geometry early in the procedure with minimal dissection, thereby reducing overall surgical exposure time and infection risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surgical approach parameters by using a positioning block that requires smaller incisions and less soft tissue dissection compared to traditional screw placement, thereby reducing the portal of entry for potential infection while maintaining stabilization effectiveness.
3Reliability
If traditional instrumentation systems designed for other applications are used, then SI joint stabilization can be achieved, but surgical complexity increases and surgical times become longer
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning block serves multiple functions: it positions the pelvis, maintains alignment, and facilitates screw placement all in one device, eliminating the need for multiple specialized instruments and reducing surgical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the positioning and stabilization functions into a single integrated positioning block system, rather than using separate instruments for each function, thereby simplifying the surgical procedure and reducing the number of steps required.
Data Source
AI summary
A positional support device includes a bottom surface, a top surface, and a front surface. The bottom surface has a flat portion extended in a front-back direction and a left-right direction. The top surface extends straight along the front-back direction, and is offset from the bottom surface in a top-bottom direction. The front surface extends along the front-back direction, and is inclined in the top-bottom direction from the top surface toward the bottom surface. The positional support device also includes a middle portion interposed between and separating a first end portion and a second end portion in the left-right direction. The first end portion or the second end portion extend beyond the middle portion in the top-bottom direction along the front surface and the top surface, or the first end portion or the second end portion are dense or rigid as compared to the middle portion.