Removable Inclination Guide for Hip Implant Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Poor alignment of the acetabular prosthetic component relative to the patient's bony anatomy can result in component loosening and/or dislocation over time and use of the prosthetic hip joint during joint arthroplasty procedures.
Innovation Solution
An inclination guide for an implant insertion tool, comprising a unitary body with a clip, an elongated riser, and an elongated indicator, which is attachable to the tool to facilitate accurate measurement and adjustment of the inclination angle of the acetabular cup component during surgical implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a removable inclination guide is attached to the implant insertion tool, then measurement precision of the inclination angle is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment system is divided into separate components: the implant insertion tool and the removable inclination guide. The guide can be attached to the tool when angle measurement is needed and removed when not required. This segmentation allows precise measurement functionality to be added only when needed, rather than being permanently integrated into the tool, thus improving measurement precision while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclination guide is designed to be dynamically attachable and detachable from the implant insertion tool during the surgical procedure. This dynamic configuration allows the system to transition between a simpler state (tool alone) and a more complex state (tool with guide attached), providing measurement precision only when required by the surgical workflow, thereby balancing measurement needs with device simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the inclination guide is made as a separate removable component, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inclination guide is pre-configured with attachment features (such as clips or locking mechanisms) that allow it to be quickly and easily attached to the implant insertion tool before use. This preliminary preparation of the attachment interface ensures that while the system remains adaptable through component separation, the actual operation of attaching and detaching the guide requires minimal effort and time, thus maintaining ease of operation despite the removable design.
Data Source
AI summary
An inclination guide for use with an implant insertion tool during a surgical procedure includes a unitary body having a clip configured to be coupled to a mounting surface of the implant insertion tool, an elongated riser extending from the clip, and an elongated indicator extending from the elongated riser to a distal end. Such a design allows for an inexpensive and lightweight inclination guide that may be easily and quickly adjusted after assembly.