Rotatable Handle Cutting Guide for Patient-Specific Bone Angles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cutting guides for orthopedic surgeries, such as total ankle arthroplasty, face challenges in accommodating patient-specific bone angles, particularly in preserving the medial malleolus during tibia cutting, as they often require fixed angles that may not align with individual bone structures, risking accidental damage or incomplete cuts.

Innovation Solution

A cutting guide with a rotatable device and adjustable handle that allows for orientation from 0 to 60 degrees relative to the body, enabling precise alignment with patient-specific bone angles, coupled with pin holes for secure fixation to the bone, and a design that includes slots for guiding surgical tools to cut bones like the tibia and talus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed angle cutting guide is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate patient-specific bone angles and risks damaging critical bone structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of patient-specific bone anglesVSAvoidcutting guide structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting guide employs a rotatable handle that can be adjusted to different angles (0-60 degrees) relative to the body, allowing the guide to adapt to various patient-specific bone angles. This dynamic adjustment capability resolves the contradiction by making the device versatile while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting guide allows changing the angular parameter of the handle relative to the body through rotation, enabling adaptation to different bone angles. This parameter change capability provides the necessary versatility without requiring multiple different guide devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a fixed angle cutting guide is used, then the manufacturing is simple, but it may accidentally damage critical bone structures like the medial malleolus

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of bone structure preservationVSAvoidcutting guide production

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable handle mechanism allows the cutting guide to be dynamically adjusted to match the specific anatomy of each patient, thereby preserving critical bone structures like the medial malleolus. This dynamic adaptability improves reliability without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If an adjustable angle cutting guide is used, then precise patient-specific alignment is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precision with bone angleVSAvoidrotatable device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable handle provides precise angular adjustment capability while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure. The pivotal element and handle design achieve measurement precision without excessive device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting guide enables precise control of the angular parameter through rotation, achieving accurate alignment with patient-specific bone angles. This parameter control is implemented through a straightforward rotational mechanism rather than a complex system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Adaptability or versatility

If a rotatable handle is added to the cutting guide, then adaptability to different bone angles is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveangle adjustment capabilityVSAvoidhandle and pivotal element structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable handle with pivotal element provides dynamic angle adjustment capability. This dynamic feature enhances adaptability while the mechanical simplicity of the rotation mechanism keeps the overall device complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11633195B2Variable angle cutting guide and method of using the same

Publication Date: 2023.04.25 WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A cutting guide includes a body and a rotatable device. The body includes a top portion, a bottom portion parallel to the top portion, and a side portion connecting the top and the bottom portions. The rotatable device is coupled to one end of the top portion of the body, and includes a pivotal element and a handle. The handle in the rotatable device has a first portion coupled to the pivotal element, and a second portion configured to be rotated around an axis of the pivotal element. Each of the top portion of the body, the side portion of the body, the bottom portion of the body, and the handle has one respective edge providing a respective guide surface for cutting a bone in a surgical procedure.