Surgical Cutting Tip Geometry for Stable Bone Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drill bits used in surgical procedures, particularly in orthopedic surgeries, tend to move during drilling, posing risks to periosteum, bone, and adjacent body parts, and require complex maneuvering in confined surgical spaces, leading to increased surgical time and tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
Cutting elements with specific tip geometries, including conical tips and flutes with chip splitters, are designed to engage biological materials at varying angles, reducing slippage and guiding debris away from the cutting location, thereby enhancing control and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional drill bits with pyramidal tips are used, then the drill bit can engage the bone surface, but the drill bit tends to move during drilling due to the slippery periosteum
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting element is divided into multiple cutting surfaces (first cutting surface, second cutting surface, third cutting surface) that are arranged at different orientations. This segmentation allows each surface to engage with the bone at optimal angles, providing stable positioning without slippage on the slippery periosteum surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting element employs an asymmetric geometry where the first, second, and third cutting surfaces are not uniformly distributed but rather positioned at specific asymmetric orientations relative to each other. This asymmetric arrangement creates inherent stability by distributing cutting forces unevenly, preventing the drill bit from rotating or slipping during engagement with the bone surface.
2Ease of operation
If conventional drill bits are used in confined surgical spaces, then surgical procedures can be performed, but the surgical time increases due to complex maneuvering requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting element is designed with multiple cutting surfaces that can engage with the bone surface from various orientations. This multi-functional geometry allows the same cutting element to effectively perform drilling operations whether approached from above, from the side, or at oblique angles, eliminating the need for multiple specialized drill bits and reducing surgical time in confined spaces.
3Productivity
If conventional drill bits are used, then drilling can be performed, but damage, heat, and trauma to tissues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting element features locally optimized cutting surfaces with specific geometries tailored for different engagement scenarios. The first cutting surface is optimized for initial engagement, while the second and third cutting surfaces are configured to guide the drill bit and distribute cutting forces. This local optimization of surface geometries reduces concentrated stress on the bone and surrounding tissues, minimizing trauma and heat generation while maintaining effective drilling capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Cutting elements may include points, tips, cutting portions and/or shafts of various geometries depending on requirements of the intended use. Tip geometries described may be used for cutting burrs, k-wires and/or drill bits in many types of applications. In particular, the tip geometries described may be used in medical applications. For example, tip geometries as described herein may be used for drilling bones, cartilage, and similar structures during surgery. Tip geometry may influence cutting ability. Use of the tip geometries described may allow the cutting element to be positioned at varying angles relative to the surface to be cut. In some instances, a tip geometry for a cutting element may be selected such that it reduces and/or inhibits movement of the cutting element during use and/or allows for a predetermined angle of entry into a surface to be cut. Using the designs described herein may reduce and/or inhibit damage, heat, and/or trauma to materials that are to be cut, for example, tissues such as bone and/or cartilage.