Thermoplastic Augmentation for Osteoporotic Bone Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for anchoring implants in hard tissue, particularly in weak or brittle bone like osteoporotic bone, face issues with insufficient bone stability due to uneven distribution of load on trabeculae, leading to adverse consequences for long-term stability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a thermoplastic augmentation element, an oscillation tool, and a counter element to liquefy thermoplastic material at the interface, allowing it to penetrate and harden within the bone structures, thereby creating a stable augmentation material for anchoring implants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If screws are anchored in live bone tissue using conventional methods, then the implantation process is simple, but insufficient bone stability and poor load distribution on trabeculae occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the thermoplastic material from solid to liquid through heating, allowing it to flow into bone trabeculae structures. This parameter change enables the material to penetrate and interlock with the bone structure, providing superior load distribution and stability compared to conventional screw anchoring methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of thermoplastic material from solid to liquid state through heating, and then back to solid upon cooling. This phase transition allows the material to be injected in liquid form to fill bone pores and trabeculae, then solidifies to create a strong mechanical bond, resolving the contradiction between simple implantation and reliable bone stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If screws are anchored in osteoporotic or weakened bone tissue, then implantation is straightforward, but long-time stability deteriorates due to uneven load on few trabeculae
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of bone tissue, particularly in osteoporotic bone with reduced density. The liquid thermoplastic material is injected to fill the pores and spaces between trabeculae, creating a composite structure that distributes loads across multiple trabeculae rather than concentrating stress on few points, thereby improving long-term stability in weakened bone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining thermoplastic polymer with bone tissue. The thermoplastic material penetrates and bonds with bone trabeculae to form a composite anchoring structure that leverages the strength of both materials, providing superior long-time stability in osteoporotic bone compared to metal screws alone.
3Reliability
If thermoplastic material is heated to liquefy for penetration, then bone stability improves through better load distribution, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drilling and forceful insertion with a thermal field approach. Instead of mechanically forcing screws into bone, the system uses controlled heating to liquefy thermoplastic material, which then flows into bone structures under minimal pressure. This substitution of mechanical action with thermal processing reduces the energy required for implantation while improving bone stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enhances the stability of implant anchoring by distributing load more evenly and providing a strong mechanical bond, improving the long-term stability of implants in weak or brittle bone tissues.
Implementation Method 1
coupling mechanical oscillations into the oscillation tool. The material is caused to liquefy at the interface due to external and/or internal friction.
Implementation Method 2
The tool may be an oscillation tool, and the step of coupling energy into the tool and/or the augmentation element may then comprise coupling mechanical oscillations into the oscillation tool.
Implementation Method 3
the tool may be caused to rotate, whereby the energy coupled into the system is rotational mechanical energy, the material being caused to liquefy at the interface due to friction.
Implementation Method 4
electromagnetic radiation may be coupled, for example, by the tool into the augmentation element (which then is essentially transparent for the electromagnetic radiation at the used wavelength), and may be absorbed at the interface so that the heat arising therefrom causes the liquefaction.
Implementation Method 5
absorbed at the interface so that the heat arising therefrom causes the liquefaction.
Implementation Method 6
the tool may be a heater provided with a heater, whereby the energy coupled into the system is heat.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for preparing an opening in tissue for implantation of an implant. The device includes a tool adapted to be coupled to an energy source, an augmentation element of a thermoplastic material, and a counter element. A tool contact surface and a first augmentation element contact surface together form a first interface, and a second augmentation element contact surface and a counter element contact surface together form a second interface. The device is configured to be being inserted into an opening in the tissue and configured for the augmentation element to be compressed between the tool and the counter element while at the same time energy is coupled into the tool.