Screen-Mounted Trajectory Guide for Fluoroscopy Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging technologies, such as fluoroscopy, require frequent radiation exposure to ensure proper alignment and placement of surgical implants, which can lead to adverse outcomes for patients and increased health risks for surgical teams.
Innovation Solution
A screen-mounted trajectory and aiming guide template that overlays a fluoroscopy screen, featuring a guide with a compass and pivotable guide members, allows surgeons to quickly determine the optimal angle for implant placement, reducing the need for frequent fluoroscopic checks and associated radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If frequent fluoroscopic checks are performed to ensure proper implant alignment and placement, then implant placement accuracy is improved, but radiation exposure to patient and surgical team increases
Solution Approach 1:
The template provides pre-calculated trajectory guides and angle markings that allow surgeons to determine the correct implant placement angle before making the actual incision or insertion, eliminating the need for multiple post-placement fluoroscopic checks to verify alignment
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent template acts as an intermediary tool between the surgeon and the fluoroscopy system, providing visual guidance overlays that translate complex 3D anatomical relationships into simple 2D alignment references on the fluoroscopy screen, reducing dependence on repeated fluoroscopic imaging for alignment verification
2Measurement precision
If multiple fluoroscopic checks are performed during surgery to verify implant alignment, then alignment accuracy is improved, but surgical time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The template allows surgeons to pre-determine and mark the optimal implant trajectory and angle on the patient's anatomy before the actual implantation procedure, so that when the implant is placed, it is already aligned correctly on the first attempt, eliminating time-consuming trial-and-error adjustments and repeated fluoroscopic verifications
Solution Approach 2:
The template divides the complex task of implant alignment into separate functional components: trajectory guidance lines for depth and direction, angle markings for orientation reference, and anatomical landmarks for positioning, allowing surgeons to systematically address each alignment parameter independently and efficiently
3Productivity
If surgeons rely on visual estimation and experience for implant alignment, then surgical speed is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The template replaces the surgeon's subjective visual estimation and experiential judgment with objective, pre-calculated geometric references including precise angle markings, trajectory lines, and anatomical relationship guides that provide quantitative alignment criteria, eliminating variability in human judgment while maintaining rapid decision-making
Solution Approach 2:
The template is designed with universal applicability to accommodate different implant types, anatomical variations, and surgical approaches through adjustable components and multiple trajectory options, allowing a single tool to provide precise alignment guidance across diverse clinical scenarios without requiring surgeon-specific customization
Data Source
AI summary
A template that includes a support structure pivotably mounted to a guide, wherein the guide includes a compass with angle markings, a first guide member extending from the vertex of the compass, a second guide member extending from the vertex of the compass. In another embodiment, a medical imaging system can include a medical imaging machine with a display screen, a support structure affixed to the medical imaging machine, and a guide pivotably mounted to the support structure. A method of aligning medical implants with anatomical structures includes positioning a template over the display screen, and comparing an angle of a medical tool or implant relative to the anatomical structure of the patient to a reference angle on the guide and installing the implant in the patient at the angle indicated by the guide.