Tibial Resection Guide with Tunnel for Deflection Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tibial resection guides face issues such as tip deflection and skiving during bone cuts, and they often cannot fit under tight soft tissues, requiring resection or movement of these tissues, which complicates implant alignment and fixation.

Innovation Solution

A tibial resection guide system comprising multiple cutting guides and a support structure with a bone fixator, including an extramedullary rod guide, that allows for precise orientation and fixation of cutting instruments, limiting their range of motion and preventing overcutting, while minimizing soft tissue disruption by maintaining natural bone and soft tissue attachment sites.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If previous cutting instruments are guided outside the bone, then the instrument can be positioned initially, but once the instrument enters the bone it is no longer guided, causing tip deflection and skiving

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveInitial positioning of cutting instrumentVSAvoidBone cut accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide extends the guidance function from external positioning into the bone interior by creating a tunnel through the bone. The cutting instrument travels through this tunnel, maintaining guidance throughout the entire cutting path rather than losing guidance when entering the bone. This dimensional extension resolves the contradiction by providing continuous guidance in three-dimensional space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide acts as an intermediary structure that bridges the external positioning system and the internal cutting path. It provides a physical tunnel and lateral walls that mediate between the initial external positioning and the final bone cut, maintaining guidance throughout the process and preventing tip deflection and skiving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If previous instrumentation does not fit under tight soft tissues, then standard instruments can be used, but resection of those tissues or movement of those tissues is necessary, complicating implant alignment and fixation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveInstrument compatibility with standard proceduresVSAvoidSoft tissue disruption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is divided into multiple segments: an external positioning portion, a tunnel portion extending into the bone, and internal guidance structures. This segmentation allows the instrument to navigate through tight soft tissues by progressing through discrete sections rather than requiring bulk resection or displacement of tissues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide creates a new spatial dimension by tunneling through the bone interior, providing a pathway that bypasses tight soft tissue constraints. This allows the cutting instrument to reach the bone without requiring resection or movement of overlying soft tissues, maintaining their natural attachment sites.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If the guide extends into the bone with a tunnel and lateral walls, then continuous guidance is provided preventing tip deflection and skiving, but the guide structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveBone cut accuracyVSAvoidGuide structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides initial external positioning, creates a tunnel for instrument passage, provides lateral guidance walls to prevent deflection, and defines the cutting path. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate components, thereby managing complexity while achieving continuous guidance throughout the cutting process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2032046B1Systems and devices for tibial resection
Publication Date: 2015.11.04 SMITH & NEPHEW INC
  • EP2032046B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2032046B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2032046B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Systems, methods and device for tibial resection comprise a first cutting guide and a second cutting guide. The first cutting guide (12) is configured to overlay a portion of the tibia and to direct a cutting instrument in a plane. The first cutting guide has a length extending from a generally medial portion of the tibia to a generally lateral portion of the tibia. The first cutting guide has a depth extending in a posterior direction generally perpendicular to the length and a groove extending along the length and depth of the first cutting guide such that the groove extends along a generally transverse plane. The second cutting guide (34) is oriented at an angle to the first cutting guide and configured to extend generally in a posterior direction from the first cutting guide (12). The second cutting guide limits the cutting instrument in the transverse plane from cutting bone.