Surgical Guide with Integrated Alignment Features for Ankle Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical tools for ankle surgery, such as total ankle replacement, face challenges in durability, size, and visibility during procedures, which can complicate the alignment and sizing of implants.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical guide with a reduced size and enhanced durability, featuring alignment features for precise anatomical plane alignment, and a streamlined design that improves visibility and reduces the number of components needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional surgical instrumentation is used, then alignment and sizing functions are provided, but the number of components is large and manipulation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple alignment and sizing functions into a single integrated surgical guide structure. The guide body integrates alignment features (first and second alignment features for different anatomic planes), sizing indicators, and cutting depth indicators into one unified component, eliminating the need for multiple separate instruments and improving ease of manipulation during surgery.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional surgical guides are used, then alignment functions are provided, but visibility of surfaces to be cut is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical guide integrates visibility-enhancing features directly into the guide body structure. The guide includes transparent or translucent portions that allow direct visualization of the bone surface and cutting depth indicators that are built into the guide structure itself, eliminating the need for separate visualization instruments while improving visibility.
3Reliability
If conventional surgical tools are used, then alignment functions are provided, but durability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a single robust surgical guide body that integrates multiple functions (alignment, sizing, depth indication) into one durable structure. This unified design eliminates the need for multiple separate components that would require assembly and disassembly, thereby improving durability and reliability during the surgical procedure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical guide includes a body having a shape that corresponds to a shape of an implant to be implanted. The body defines a first opening and at least one hole that is sized and configured to receive a tool. A first alignment feature configured to facilitate alignment of the surgical guide with a first anatomic plane is coupled to the body. Systems and methods also are disclosed.