Multi-modal patient-specific surgical guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Joint replacement surgeries are complicated and time-consuming due to the need for multiple instruments, which can lead to misalignment and plastic debris, increasing infection risk and reducing surgical efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device comprising a first body component with embedded metal inserts and a second body component with patient-specific surfaces, allowing for integrated alignment and tool paths without plastic debris, using 3D printing and injection molding processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If patient-specific instruments are manufactured out of plastic, then alignment precision is improved, but the type and number of operations that may be performed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical device combines plastic body components with metal inserts to create a composite instrument that maintains the alignment precision of plastic while incorporating metal features for drilling, cutting, and reaming operations. This allows a single patient-specific instrument to perform multiple surgical functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple separate instruments (alignment guide, drill guide, cutting guide) into a single integrated patient-specific surgical device. The metal inserts are embedded within the plastic body to combine the alignment capabilities of plastic instruments with the operational capabilities of metal instruments.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If drilling, cutting, and reaming are completed using separate reusable instruments, then plastic debris creation is avoided, but additional risks of misalignment and injury during coupling are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the alignment guidance function and the drilling/cutting/reaming function into a single integrated device. The metal inserts are permanently embedded in the plastic body, eliminating the need to couple separate instruments during surgery and thereby removing the associated risks of misalignment and injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal inserts act as intermediaries that transfer the alignment precision of the plastic body to the drilling, cutting, and reaming operations. The inserts are precisely positioned within the plastic body to ensure accurate tool paths while preventing plastic debris generation during bone preparation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple separate instruments are used for joint replacement surgery, then surgical precision can be maintained, but surgical time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention consolidates multiple separate surgical instruments into a single patient-specific device that performs alignment, drilling, cutting, and reaming functions. This eliminates the time required to remove and install multiple instruments while maintaining surgical precision through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The single surgical device is designed to perform multiple functions (alignment guidance, drilling, cutting, reaming) that previously required separate specialized instruments. The metal inserts provide different operational capabilities within one unified device that maintains precise alignment throughout all surgical steps.
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.