Segmented Bone Substitute Scaffolds for Cavity Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current bone substitute materials face challenges in adapting to bone cavities, particularly in osteoporotic and tumor-afflicted bones, as they are difficult to shape and provide inadequate load-bearing properties, leading to incomplete filling and stability issues during revision surgeries after hip or knee arthroplasty.

Innovation Solution

A medical product with structural elements of varying hardness, produced via 3D-printing, comprising flexible and load-bearing components that can be matched to specific bone cavity dimensions and shapes, allowing for effective filling and closure of bone cavities while ensuring mechanical stability through a combination of resorbable and non-resorbable materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If solid, artificial bone substitute materials (metallic or cementitious) are used to fill bone cavities, then the materials provide structural support, but they are difficult to adapt to bone cavities with small access openings and incomplete filling occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilling completenessVSAvoidadaptability to bone cavity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bone substitute material is divided into multiple structural elements (scaffolds) of different sizes and shapes that can be selectively placed into the bone cavity. This segmentation allows the materials to be adapted to cavities with small access openings while maintaining complete filling, as the smaller elements can be inserted through narrow openings and the larger elements can be positioned to fill remaining spaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the bone cavity are filled with structural elements having different properties (size, shape, material composition). The scaffolds are designed with varying local characteristics to match the specific requirements of different cavity regions, improving both adaptability to the cavity geometry and filling completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If pulverulent bone substitute materials are used to fill bone cavities with small access openings, then the materials can be introduced effectively, but they only have load-bearing properties to a limited extent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintroduction effectivenessVSAvoidload-bearing properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses composite structures combining multiple types of structural elements with different properties. The scaffolds can be made from various materials (metallic, cementitious, or composite) and configured in different ways to provide both the ability to introduce material through small openings and sufficient load-bearing capacity. The composite nature allows simultaneous achievement of both introduction effectiveness and mechanical strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Adaptability or versatility

If generic bone substitute materials are used, then the materials can be implanted into bone cavities, but they do not provide adequate adaptation to specific cavity dimensions and shapes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematching to bone cavityVSAvoidproduct design complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The structural elements are designed with flexible properties that allow them to be dynamically adjusted and positioned within the bone cavity. The scaffolds can be bent, shaped, and configured to match the specific dimensions and shapes of different bone cavities, providing high adaptability without requiring entirely different products for each cavity type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

By dividing the bone substitute into multiple modular structural elements, the system becomes more adaptable to various cavity geometries. Each segment can be independently shaped and positioned to match the specific requirements of the target cavity, reducing the need for complex custom-designed products while maintaining high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11801141B2Medical product, preferably for use during the treatment of a bone cavity, method for producing the medical product, and medical kit

Publication Date: 2023.10.31 AESCULAP AG

AI summary

A medical product, preferably for use in the treatment, more particularly in the filling up and/or closure, of a bone cavity, the product having structural elements connected to one another, the structural elements being dividable at least into two groups of structural elements, namely at least into a first group of structural elements and into a second group of structural elements, the structural elements of the first group having a lower hardness than the structural elements of the second group. Furthermore, a method for producing the medical product and a medical kit.