Surgical Guide Tool for Bone Fusion Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for joining bones using screws or staples are time-consuming and prone to errors due to the free-hand drilling of guide holes, which can affect the accuracy of the relative positions and orientations of the fasteners.
Innovation Solution
A guide tool with rearward and adjustable forward drill guides is used to accurately drill guide holes for surgical staples or a staple and a bone screw, ensuring precise alignment and intersection of staple planes or screw placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If guide holes are drilled free-hand for receiving screws or staples, then the procedure is simpler to perform, but the accuracy of relative positions and orientations of fasteners deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A guide tool is introduced as an intermediary device between the surgeon and the bone. The guide tool includes guide holes that are pre-formed with precise positions and orientations, serving as a mediator to transfer the desired fastener placement geometry to the bone without requiring the surgeon to drill free-hand, thus improving accuracy while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide holes are pre-formed in the guide tool before the surgical procedure. This preliminary preparation of the guide structure allows the surgeon to simply insert fasteners through the pre-defined guide holes, eliminating the need for free-hand drilling during surgery and ensuring accurate relative positions and orientations are achieved.
2Device complexity
If guide holes are drilled free-hand, then fewer tools are needed, but the procedure becomes more time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple guide holes for multiple fasteners are merged into a single guide tool structure. Instead of requiring separate drilling operations and tools for each fastener, the guide tool consolidates all guide holes into one instrument that can be positioned and used simultaneously or sequentially, reducing the number of tools needed while improving efficiency and reducing errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide tool serves multiple functions: it provides guide holes for multiple fasteners, ensures correct positioning and orientation, and can be used for different types of fasteners (screws, staples). This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized tools while maintaining high accuracy and reducing procedure time.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods are described for use in securing a first bone relative to a second bone using a pair of surgical staples or, alternatively, a surgical staple and a bone screw. When a pair of staples are used, one of the legs of one of the staples may pass between the legs of the another of the staples. When a staple and a bone screw are used, the bone screw may pass between the legs of the staple. A guide tool can be used during the drilling of the holes for the legs of the staples or the legs of the staple and a bone screw. The guide tool provides guides for drilling guide holes for the staples or for the screw and staple. The guides can be fixed relative to each other during drilling of the guide holes.