Prosthetic Component Recesses for Bone Anchoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing prosthetic components often fail to achieve a reliable and durable coupling with bone tissue due to insufficient integration under torsional and flexural stresses, as they lack effective surface features for bone regrowth anchoring.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates multiple recesses beneath the outer surface, connected by rod-like elements and accessed through small openings, allowing bone trabeculae to penetrate and expand within these recesses for stable anchoring, with optional threaded holes for additional fixation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the prosthetic component surface is made furrowed and porous to enable bone trabeculae penetration, then bone anchoring capability is improved, but the surface structure becomes complex and manufacturing difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebone anchoring capabilityVSAvoidsurface structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthetic component incorporates a porous layer with controlled porosity (30-70%) and pore size (50-500 μm) that allows bone trabeculae penetration while maintaining structural integrity. The porous structure is created through controlled sintering of metal powders, providing both anchoring capability and manufacturability through established powder metallurgy processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The surface structure is divided into distinct functional layers: a dense outer layer for mechanical strength, an intermediate porous layer for bone ingrowth, and an inner dense layer for structural support. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently for its specific function while simplifying the overall manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If recesses are provided beneath the outer surface to enhance bone anchoring, then coupling reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling reliabilityVSAvoidinternal structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The recesses are formed as hemispherical cavities within the prosthetic component body, with the porous layer lining the inner surface of each recess. This nested configuration allows bone trabeculae to penetrate through the outer surface into the recesses, achieving deep anchoring while maintaining a compact overall structure that integrates seamlessly with the component geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The design transitions from surface-level porosity to three-dimensional recess structures, creating depth-based anchoring zones. The recesses extend into the component body, providing volumetric bone ingrowth spaces that enhance anchoring reliability without significantly increasing external dimensions or manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If the outer surface is made uneven and porous for bone integration, then adhesion strength is improved, but surface finish precision becomes difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion strengthVSAvoidsurface finish precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The porous layer parameters are precisely controlled during manufacturing, including porosity (30-70%), pore size (50-500 μm), and thickness (0.1-2.0 mm). These parameter specifications ensure consistent bone anchoring performance while maintaining manufacturability through controlled powder sintering processes that achieve repeatable surface characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the prosthetic component have different surface characteristics: the outer surface and recess interiors feature porous structures for bone anchoring, while the inner structural regions maintain dense, smooth surfaces for mechanical strength. This local differentiation optimizes adhesion strength where needed without compromising overall manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP1898842B1Prosthetic component with recesses provided beneath the outer surface
Publication Date: 2013.11.27 ADLER ORTHO SRL
  • EP1898842B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1898842B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1898842B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A prosthetic component (1) for orthopedic or traumatologic surgery, meant to be inserted in a bone part, in which below a layer (11) which has an outer surface (Se) meant to make contact with a bone part there are multiple recesses (2i), which are connected to the outside through openings (3i) which pass through the layer (11) provided with the outer surface.