Preformed Cranial Mesh Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical fixation devices, especially those with closed solid constructs, face challenges in three-dimensional contourability, leading to kinking issues and reduced flexibility, which complicates their application on irregular bone geometries, increasing surgical time and reducing the strength of the mesh construct.
Innovation Solution
A preformed cranial mesh with a flexible body and strategically placed apertures that conform to a predetermined averaged geometry, allowing it to contact the bone anatomy at multiple spaced locations without crossing the geometry or being excessively spaced, thereby avoiding kinking and enhancing contourability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a closed solid construct mesh is used, then structural strength is maintained, but three-dimensional contourability is limited and kinking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh is divided into multiple struts arranged in a grid pattern with apertures between them, creating an open-structured configuration that allows three-dimensional contouring while maintaining structural integrity through the distributed strut network
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh employs an open-structured porous configuration with regularly spaced apertures and struts, enabling flexibility and contourability while preserving mechanical strength through the optimized porous architecture
2Adaptability or versatility
If relief cutouts are made in the mesh, then contourability is improved, but surgical time increases and mesh strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh is pre-formed in a three-dimensional configuration that matches the target bone anatomy before surgery, eliminating the need for intraoperative cutouts and contouring operations, thereby reducing surgical time while maintaining contourability
3Adaptability or versatility
If relief cutouts are made in the mesh, then contourability is improved, but flexural rigidity and strength are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh structure segments the continuous sheet into discrete struts connected at nodes, distributing mechanical loads across the strut network and maintaining flexural rigidity while enabling three-dimensional contouring without requiring cutouts
4Ease of manufacture
If the mesh is provided in an initial flat configuration, then manufacturing is simplified, but surgical contouring time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh is pre-formed in its final three-dimensional configuration during manufacturing, so that it requires only positioning and fixation during surgery without needing time-consuming contouring operations, thus reducing surgical time while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical fixation device is provided, including a preformed cranial mesh configured to generally conform to a predetermined averaged geometry. The cranial mesh includes a preformed flexible mesh body having opposed inner and outer surfaces, and a plurality of apertures that extend through the mesh body from the outer surface to the inner surface, each of the plurality of apertures extending along a respective central axis from the outer surface to the inner surface. The mesh body is configured as-manufactured to contact the predetermined averaged geometry at least at three spaced apart locations, such that 1) no portion of the mesh body crosses the predetermined averaged geometry in a first direction from the outer surface toward the inner surface, and 2) no location on the inner surface of the mesh body is spaced from the predetermined averaged geometry a distance greater than a select distance along the first direction.