Syndesmosis Targeting Guide Device for Accurate Screw Trajectory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current syndesmosis surgery techniques face challenges in accurately and efficiently repairing the joint due to difficulties in proper reduction and fixation, often resulting in malalignment and instability, especially with the use of solid screws and limited visualization tools.
Innovation Solution
A guide device is developed that couples to a bone plate, featuring a guide body with a curvilinear slider guide and adjustable trajectory, allowing precise alignment and fixation of syndesmosis implants by establishing a reference line with a fixed insertion point and adjustable trajectory, enabling accurate placement of screws parallel to the joint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If surgeons use solid drills for syndesmosis repair, then the fixation strength is improved, but the number of attempts is limited and accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the drilling process into multiple attemptable steps using a guide wire that can be removed and repositioned, allowing surgeons to correct trajectory errors before final implant placement
Solution Approach 2:
A guide wire acts as an intermediary between the solid drill and the bone, providing a removable trajectory guide that enables multiple attempts at accurate positioning before final fixation
2Length of moving object
If surgeons drill to the required depth for syndesmosis screws, then the fixation reaches the tibia, but small misalignments result in clinically significant malalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wire is inserted preliminarily to establish and verify the correct trajectory before the actual drilling and implant placement, allowing correction of alignment issues before commitment to the final position
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire provides visual and tactile feedback during insertion, allowing surgeons to adjust the trajectory in real-time to ensure precise alignment with the tibia before final implant placement
3Ease of operation
If traditional surgery techniques are used without targeting guides, then the surgical procedure is simpler, but implant placement accuracy cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device serves as a temporary intermediary tool that attaches to the bone plate and provides trajectory guidance, which can be easily attached and removed without complicating the overall surgical workflow
Solution Approach 2:
The device replaces reliance on surgeon skill and judgment with a mechanical guide system that objectively ensures accurate trajectory and implant placement
4Measurement precision
If CT scans are used post-insertion to verify fixation, then accuracy can be confirmed, but the surgical time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide device enables self-verification of correct trajectory and placement during surgery through visual inspection and intraoperative imaging, eliminating the need for postoperative CT scans to confirm accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
Aligning the syndesmosis joint by a novel device and method includes establishing a first plane by attaching a bone plate to the posterolateral aspect of the distal fibula. A second transverse plane arranges perpendicular to the first nominal plane. A syndesmosis targeting guide device includes a post having a post axis extending perpendicular to the first plane and in the second plane. The device includes a curvilinear slider guide extending along an arc in the second plane. The slider is positioned to a first position and fixing that first position to establish a fixed entry point in the fibula wherein the fixed entry point lies in the second plane and further thereby establishing a desired trajectory in the second plane wherein the trajectory includes the fixed entry point based on the slider first position.