Minimally Invasive Surgical Drill Guide With Radiopaque Marker

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Solution Overview

Problem

Minimally invasive surgical drilling, particularly in hip joint procedures like ligamentum teres reconstruction and avascular necrosis repair, faces challenges in accurately directing the drill bit due to the lack of direct visualization, necessitating improved guidance techniques.

Innovation Solution

A minimally invasive surgical drill guide system comprising an elongated drill jig with engagement structures and a positioning arm, featuring a radiopaque marker for precise alignment and a detachable drill guide insert, allowing for accurate placement and alignment of surgical drill elements, such as pins, to create tunnels in the femoral head.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive surgical drilling is performed without direct visualization, then surgical access and patient safety are improved, but drill bit direction accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical access safetyVSAvoiddrill bit direction accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A drill guide assembly acts as an intermediary device between the surgeon and the drill bit, providing mechanical guidance and directional control. The positioning arm with locating end engages the femoral head to establish a reference frame, while the drill guide opening precisely defines the drill bit trajectory, enabling accurate drilling without direct visualization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct visual mechanical control with fluoroscopic imaging guidance. Radiopaque markers on the positioning arm and drill guide components allow the surgeon to visualize component positions and drill bit trajectory through fluoroscopy, substituting direct line-of-sight mechanical control with imaging-based guidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If a fixed drill guide system is used, then drill placement accuracy is improved, but adaptability to different surgical scenarios deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrill placement accuracyVSAvoidsurgical scenario adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The drill guide assembly is designed with dynamic, adjustable components rather than fixed rigid structures. The positioning arm can be positioned and secured at different locations on the femoral head, and the drill guide can be detached and repositioned to accommodate different drill trajectories and surgical requirements, providing both accuracy and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If a complex drill guide system with multiple components is used, then drill guidance precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrill guidance precisionVSAvoidsystem component complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drill guide system is segmented into distinct functional components: a positioning arm with locating end for engaging the femoral head, a drill guide assembly with drill guide opening, and radiopaque markers for imaging guidance. These segmented components can be independently positioned, secured, and adjusted, allowing complex precision guidance while maintaining operational simplicity through modular assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system enables precise and effective minimally invasive surgical drilling by providing a radiopaque marker for fluoroscopic guidance, ensuring accurate placement of drill elements and tunnels, facilitating procedures like ligamentum teres reconstruction and avascular necrosis repair with enhanced precision and safety.

Implementation Method 1

The locating end can include a radiopaque marker. The radiopaque marker can be a radiopaque protrusion for locating the positioning arm and helping to guide the surgical drill element.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiopaque marker: X-Ray

Data Source

PatentUS11344322B2Minimally invasive surgical drill guide and method

Publication Date: 2022.05.31 PARCUS MEDICAL LLC

AI summary

A minimally invasive surgical drill guide includes an elongated drill jig having at least one drill guide opening for defining a location and drill element guide axis for placement of a surgical drill element. The drill jig can have an engagement end with engagement structure. A positioning arm includes an elongated shaft with an axis and a locating end portion shaped to engage a bony part of a patient. The elongated shaft can have engagement structure for engaging to the engagement structure of the drill jig to support the drill jig crosswise relative to the position arm and to support the drill guide opening of the drill jig at a location remote from the axis of the elongated shaft of the positioning arm. The drill jig can be detachable from the positioning arm. A method for minimally invasive surgical drilling is also disclosed.