PTFE Spacer for Bone Implants Preventing Necrosis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone implants, particularly locking plates, cause periosteum necrosis and osteoporosis due to inadequate blood supply resulting from direct contact with the bone, and existing solutions like dynamic implants and bio-compatible sleeves do not fully address these issues as they still maintain significant contact with the bone, leading to complications.
Innovation Solution
A bone implant with a spacer made from polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) having a porous surface three-dimensional structure is used, which reduces contact with the bone over time due to deformation, maintaining blood supply and preventing necrosis and osteoporosis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a locking bone plate is used to provide solid fixation between the plate and inserted screws, then angular stability and resistance to shear or torsional forces are improved, but periosteum necrosis and osteoporosis of the bone beneath the plate occur due to blood supply deficiency
Solution Approach 1:
A spacer made from bio-compatible material (such as polyethylene or polytetrafluorethylene) is introduced as an intermediary element between the locking bone plate and the bone surface. This spacer maintains the fixed relationship and mechanical stability of the locking plate while preventing direct contact between the plate and bone, thereby preserving blood supply and preventing periosteum necrosis and osteoporosis.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a two-dimensional contact problem (plate surface against bone surface) to a three-dimensional configuration by introducing a spacer with specific thickness. This dimensional addition creates a gap that eliminates harmful contact while maintaining the necessary mechanical fixation, transforming the interaction from direct surface-to-surface contact to indirect contact through an intermediate layer.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the surface contact area between the plate and bone is decreased to improve blood supply, then bone regeneration is promoted and infection risk is lessened, but fixation stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer serves as a mediator that decouples the relationship between plate contact area and fixation stability. It allows the plate to maintain full surface contact with the spacer for stable fixation while the spacer's presence prevents harmful contact with the bone, thus preserving blood supply without compromising fixation strength.
3Reliability
If a bio-compatible sleeve is used to dress on the bone implant, then pharmaceutical substances can be supplied to osseous tissue, but soft tissue may grow into the sleeve complicating surgical removal
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed with differentiated local properties: the first surface contacts the bone to prevent necrosis, while the second surface is configured to minimize soft tissue interaction. This local quality differentiation allows pharmaceutical substances to be effectively supplied to the bone through the spacer while the specific surface configuration on the opposite side prevents soft tissue ingrowth, facilitating easier surgical removal.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of PTFE spacers in bone implants reduces contact with the bone, promoting bone regeneration, minimizing infection risk, and simplifying surgical removal by ensuring undisturbed blood supply and preventing bone necrosis and osteoporosis.
Implementation Method 1
reduces contact with the bone over time due to deformation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is related to medicine and, in particular, to a class of implants intended for osteosynthesis i.e. in the treatment of essentially all kinds of bone fractures. It is the aim of the present invention to eliminate the above contradiction and to design a bone implant and a spacer thereof that would not cause periosteum necrosis and osteoporosis of the bone and also a method of placing a bone implant of the kind. This aim is achieved by using polytetrafluorethylene, in particular, in the form of a porous surface three-dimensional structure as a spacer for a support surface of a bone implant.