Steerable Bone Fastener With Curved Guide Wire
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bone fixation techniques using screws are limited in modifying the trajectory of the screw once it has entered the bone, making it difficult to navigate complex bone structures or displaced fragments effectively.
Innovation Solution
A bone fixation system featuring a flexible fastener with an external thread and a guide wire with a preformed longitudinal curvature, allowing the fastener to follow a curved path within the bone, enabling steering and adaptation to the bone's shape for precise placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional screw is used for bone fixation, then the screw can be placed along a predefined trajectory, but the trajectory cannot be modified after the leading end has entered bone
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device is divided into two separate components: a guide wire that defines the trajectory and a screw that follows the guide wire. This segmentation allows the trajectory to be established independently before screw placement, enabling trajectory modification by changing the guide wire configuration without affecting the screw structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire acts as an intermediary element between the surgeon's intent and the screw placement. The guide wire is first inserted into the bone to define the desired trajectory, then the screw is placed following this guide wire path. This intermediary allows for trajectory planning and modification independent of the final fixation device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a drill is used to form a hole before screw placement, then the screw follows a predefined path, but the surgeon cannot modify the trajectory after hole formation
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wire is inserted into the bone beforehand to establish the desired trajectory before the actual screw placement. This preliminary action allows the surgeon to plan and adjust the trajectory in advance, and if modification is needed, the guide wire can be repositioned or replaced without requiring time-consuming bone re-preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire serves as a temporary intermediary that defines the screw path without requiring permanent bone modification like drilling. This allows for easy trajectory changes by simply removing and repositioning the guide wire, saving surgical time compared to drilling and redrilling.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a cannulated screw following a pre-installed wire is used, then the wire guides screw advancement, but the screw trajectory is still fixed once installation begins
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the trajectory-defining function (guide wire) from the fixation function (screw). The guide wire can be independently manipulated to create curved or angled paths, while the screw simply follows this pre-established path. This segmentation enables complex trajectory steering without complicating the screw placement operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire can be bent or shaped into curved configurations to create non-linear trajectories through the bone. This curvature capability allows the screw to follow complex paths around anatomical structures or displaced bone fragments, greatly enhancing trajectory steering capability while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Bone fixation system including methods, apparatus, and kits, for steering a leading end of a fastener within bone. In some embodiments, the system may include (a) a flexible fastener having an external thread, and (b) a guide including a graspable handle attached or attachable to a wire having a distal end portion with a preformed longitudinal curvature in a direction indicated by the handle. The wire may be extendable through the fastener and configured to be advanced longitudinally, while extending through the fastener, such that the distal end portion of the wire penetrates bone ahead of a leading end of the fastener and creates a curved travel path for the leading end of the fastener.