Pre-contoured Acetabular Buttress Plate for Posterior Wall Fractures

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for stabilizing posterior wall acetabular fractures require multiple plates and intra-operative bending of metal plates to fit the hip socket curvature, increasing surgical time, complications, and costs due to ongoing bleeding and the need for multiple fixation devices.

Innovation Solution

A pre-contoured, single-piece buttress plate with a main plate and extension, featuring a concavity mimicking the hip socket curvature, limited contact design with spikes for added stability, and breakaway sections for modularity, allowing for secure fixation without intra-operative bending and reducing the need for multiple plates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If multiple plates are used to stabilize posterior wall acetabular fractures, then fracture stability is improved, but surgical time and complication rates increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefracture stabilityVSAvoidsurgical time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate plates into a single integrated pre-contoured buttress plate that can simultaneously stabilize posterior wall and column fractures, eliminating the need for multiple separate fixation devices while maintaining fracture stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The plate is pre-contoured during manufacturing to match the anatomical curvature of the hip socket, eliminating the need for intraoperative bending and contouring, thereby reducing surgical time while maintaining proper anatomical fit and fracture stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Shape

If metal plates are bent intra-operatively to fit hip socket curvature, then anatomical fit is improved, but surgical time and complication rates increase due to ongoing bleeding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanatomical fitVSAvoidsurgical time

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The plate is pre-contoured during manufacturing to match the anatomical curvature of the hip socket, eliminating the need for intraoperative bending and contouring, thereby reducing surgical time while maintaining proper anatomical fit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The plate features a pre-formed curved contour that matches the spherical geometry of the hip socket, allowing it to conform to the anatomical surface without requiring intraoperative manipulation or bending

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Stability of the object's composition

If multiple plates are used for fracture fixation, then fracture stability is improved, but procedure cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefracture stabilityVSAvoidnumber of fixation devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate plates into a single integrated pre-contoured buttress plate that can simultaneously stabilize posterior wall and column fractures, eliminating the need for multiple separate fixation devices while maintaining fracture stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single buttress plate is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously, stabilizing both posterior wall fractures and column fractures, thereby replacing the need for multiple specialized plates and reducing overall implant quantity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11464553B2Pre-contoured buttress plate for posterior wall acetabular fractures

Publication Date: 2022.10.11 SCHLATTERER DANIEL ROBERT

AI summary

An improved posterior acetabular wall fracture buttress plate has a main plate and a plate extension. The buttress plate has a pair of arms extending from the main plate and an arm extending from the plate extension. The main plate and the plate extension are pre-contoured with a concavity contoured and bent lengthwise off horizontal relative to the main plate to mimic a hip socket contour posteriorly along an undersurface at about 38 degrees plus or minus 8 degrees to mimic a curvature of the hip to yield an angle on the undersurface of 142 degrees plus or minus 8 degrees. The arms are 1.0 cm or less wide. The plate extension extends from the main plate and has at least one transverse groove defining a breakaway section allowing the plate extension to be removed from the main plate.