Slotted Washer K-Wire Fixation for Distal Radius Fractures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dorsal and volar rim fractures of the distal radius are challenging to fix due to small fragments and displacing forces from the wrist, requiring secure fixation to prevent ongoing dislocation, which existing K-wire methods struggle to achieve effectively.
Innovation Solution
The development of K-wire implants with integrated plates and a slotted washer design that includes a window for visibility during insertion, a donut-shaped washer for capturing, and a screw with a channel for secure fixation, allowing for easier implantation and reliable stabilization of K-wires in bone fractures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional K-wire methods are used to fix bone fragments, then the procedure is simple, but the fixation reliability is insufficient for small fragments with displacing forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into an integrated washer device that simultaneously captures the K-wire, provides compression against the bone fragment, and enables secure fixation. This merging of functions increases fixation reliability while managing device complexity through a unified structure rather than separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The washer design features nested structural elements where the K-wire passes through the washer body, and compression features are integrated within the washer structure itself. This nesting allows multiple fixation mechanisms to coexist in a compact form, improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If K-wire is driven into bone without visibility assistance, then the insertion is quick, but the precision of K-wire placement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The washer includes a window feature that provides visual transparency or contrast, allowing the surgeon to directly observe K-wire insertion and placement in real-time. This visual feedback mechanism improves placement precision by enabling direct observation of the K-wire's position relative to the bone fragment and washer structure.
3Strength
If multiple implants are placed for secure fixation, then the fixation strength increases, but the profile becomes bulky and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The washer integrates multiple fixation functions including K-wire capture, compression application, and bone fragment stabilization into a single compact component. This consolidation provides fixation strength equivalent to multiple separate implants while maintaining a low profile that preserves flexibility for additional implant placement if needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The washer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a capture mechanism for the K-wire, provides compression against the bone fragment, enables angular stability, and allows for future additional implants. This multi-functionality achieves strong fixation without requiring multiple separate bulky components.
Data Source
AI summary
A slotted washer configured to secure a K-wire to a native bone, including: an upper arm with a screw hole; a lower arm with a screw hole; a connector connecting the upper arm with the lower arm; and a K-wire opening between the connector, lower arm, and upper arm configured to receive and compress the K-wire.