Patient-Specific Surgical Guide With Metal Inserts for Precise Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Joint replacement surgeries using patient-specific instruments face challenges due to the limitations of plastic materials, which can create debris and require additional reusable instruments, leading to misalignment and increased surgical complexity.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device comprising a first body component with embedded metal inserts and a second body component, both formed by different processes, allowing for precise alignment and integration of tools without plastic debris, enabling combined use of patient-specific and reusable instruments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If patient-specific instruments are made from plastic material, then manufacturing is easier and cost is reduced, but plastic debris is created during drilling and cutting operations
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical guide is constructed as a composite structure combining plastic material for the body with metal inserts for tool engagement. The metal inserts (drill sleeves, cutting guides) are embedded within the plastic body, allowing drilling and cutting operations to be performed through metal components that do not generate debris, while the plastic body maintains alignment and positioning functions.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple separate reusable instruments are used for drilling, cutting, and reaming, then plastic debris creation is avoided, but additional alignment steps and misalignment risks are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple separate reusable instruments (drill guides, cutting guides, reaming guides) into a single integrated patient-specific surgical guide. The guide incorporates multiple metal inserts with different tool engagement features, allowing drilling, cutting, and reaming operations to be performed through one unified device that maintains consistent alignment with the patient's anatomy throughout all operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patient-specific surgical guide serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides alignment for drilling operations through drill sleeves, enables cutting operations through cutting guides, and facilitates reaming through reaming guides. All these functions are integrated into a single device that attaches to the patient's bone, eliminating the need for multiple separate instruments and alignment steps.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If additional reusable instruments are installed after patient-specific instrument removal, then drilling, cutting, and reaming can be performed, but misalignment and injury risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the alignment function of the patient-specific instrument with the tool engagement function of reusable instruments into a single integrated device. The metal inserts are permanently embedded in the patient-specific guide body, creating fixed, pre-aligned pathways for drilling, cutting, and reaming tools. This eliminates the need to remove and replace instruments, ensuring consistent alignment throughout all surgical operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical device includes a first body component including at least one insert embedded therein and a second body component including a patient-specific surface. The first body component includes a first material and the at least one insert includes a second material. The first body component defines at least one first hole and the second body component defines at least one second hole. The second body component is configured to be coupled to the first body component such that the at least one first hole and the at least one second hole are aligned when the first body component is coupled to the second body component to define at least one continuous fixation hole sized and configured to receive an elongate fixation device at a predetermined location.