Distal Medial Tibial Blocking Staple for Low-Tension Hemi-Epiphysiodesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional epiphyseal plate arrest techniques, such as the 8-shaped steel plate, cause skin tension issues and complications like incision dehiscence and premature closure of the epiphyseal plate, particularly in correcting ankle valgus deformity in young children, due to their anatomical incompatibility and design limitations.
Innovation Solution
A distal medial tibial hemi-epiphysiodesis blocking staple with a tibial arm, epiphyseal arm, and connecting section, featuring inverted tooth portions and a supporting tool with a drill sleeve and driver, is designed to fit anatomically with the distal tibia and epiphysis, ensuring secure implantation and preventing displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an 8-shaped steel plate is used for epiphyseal plate arrest, then the growth of the epiphyseal plate can be limited, but the skin tension becomes too high causing difficult suturing and potential incision dehiscence
Solution Approach 1:
The steel plate is divided into multiple arms (medial arm, lateral arm, posterior arm) that can be independently positioned and fixed. This segmentation allows the plate to conform to the anatomical contours of the epiphysis while distributing the mechanical load, thereby reducing skin tension at any single location and facilitating easier suturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel plate is designed with curved surfaces and rounded edges that match the spherical contours of the epiphyseal region. This curvature allows the plate to follow the natural anatomy of the bone surface, reducing stress concentration at the skin-bone interface and making skin closure easier while maintaining effective epiphyseal arrest.
2Reliability
If a straight steel plate with certain width and thickness is used, then the epiphyseal plate can be effectively arrested, but the skin incision tension is too high leading to skin healing difficulties and potential exposure
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the steel plate are designed with varying properties: the arms have specific widths and thicknesses optimized for local anatomical requirements, while the connecting portions are tailored to fit specific bone contours. This local quality variation allows effective arrest in critical areas while minimizing overall skin tension and facilitating healing.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel plate incorporates curved surfaces and rounded edges that conform to the spherical anatomy of the epiphysis. This curvature distributes the mechanical stress across a broader area and reduces stress concentration at the skin interface, thereby reducing skin incision tension and improving healing outcomes while maintaining effective epiphyseal arrest.
3Device complexity
If an arrest means penetrating the epiphyseal plate by one screw is adopted, then the procedure is simple, but there is a risk of premature closure of the epiphyseal plate
Solution Approach 1:
The steel plate is segmented into multiple independent arms that can be fixed separately. This segmentation allows for distributed fixation points that penetrate the epiphyseal plate at multiple locations, providing more reliable and controlled arrest while reducing the risk of premature closure compared to single-screw methods. Each arm can be independently positioned to avoid critical growth zones.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a distal medial tibial hemi-epiphysiodesis blocking staple and supporting tools. The distal medial tibial hemi-epiphysiodesis blocking staple includes a tibia arm, an epiphyseal arm and a connecting section. The connecting section is connected with the tibial arm and the epiphyseal arm to form a similar U-shape. The tibial arm and the epiphyseal arm are arranged in parallel and in arc transition with the connecting section to limit a spacing between the distal tibia and the epiphysis. Inverted tooth portions for preventing the hemi-epiphysiodesis distal medial tibial staple from withdrawing are uniformly distributed on the tibial arm and the epiphyseal arm.