Tibial And Talar Trial Components for Ankle Implant Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing total ankle replacement (TAR) procedures face challenges in achieving proper sizing and alignment of tibial and talus components, leading to instability and limited range of motion in the replacement ankle joint.
Innovation Solution
The use of tibial and talar trial components and bone preparation guides that facilitate accurate sizing and alignment of tibial and talus components, ensuring proper implantation of a TAR prosthesis by replicating the dimensions and orientations of the tibial and talus components, and providing tools for precise bone resection and aperture formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional TAR procedures are used without specialized trial components and bone preparation guides, then the surgical procedure is simpler and requires fewer specialized instruments, but proper sizing and alignment of tibial and talus components cannot be achieved, leading to instability and limited range of motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using trial components and bone preparation guides before final implantation. The trial components are placed on the resected bone surfaces to pre-determine the optimal size, position, and orientation of the final implant components. Bone preparation guides are used beforehand to create accurately positioned apertures and resect bone surfaces at precise angles, ensuring proper alignment before the actual implant is installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses trial components as intermediary devices between the surgeon's planning and the final implantation. These trial components serve as mediators to transfer the desired positioning and orientation information to the final implant components. The bone preparation guides also act as intermediaries to translate the required aperture positions and bone resection angles into precise physical preparations of the bone surfaces.
2Reliability
If trial components and bone preparation guides are used to achieve proper sizing and alignment, then stable and fully articulated ankle replacement joints are achieved, but the surgical procedure becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By performing bone preparations and component sizing decisions in advance using the trial components and guides, the patent eliminates the need for time-consuming adjustments and revisions during the final implantation phase. The apertures are drilled at the correct positions and angles before the actual implant is placed, and the trial components allow the surgeon to finalize sizing and alignment decisions before committing to the permanent implant.
3Measurement precision
If trial components and bone preparation guides are implemented, then proper aperture formation and component positioning are achieved, but the number of specialized instruments and devices required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into integrated instrumentation systems. The bone preparation guides are designed to work in conjunction with the trial components, forming a combined system that simultaneously provides positioning, measurement, and preparation guidance. The trial components themselves incorporate features that guide aperture formation and component positioning, reducing the need for separate specialized instruments for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
Instruments, guides, systems and related methods for total ankle prostheses are disclosed. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods facilitate preparation of a tibia and/or talus of a patient for implantation of a total ankle prosthesis therein. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods also facilitate selection of a particular size of a tibial component, a talus component and/or a tibial insert of the total ankle prosthesis that suits the patient. The instruments, guides, systems and related methods include a tibial trial component, a talar trial component and tibial insert trial component that replicate one or more aspects of the tibial component, the talus component and the tibial insert, respectively, of the total ankle prosthesis. The talar trial component includes an articulation surface that articulates with the tibial insert trial component, and slots that facilitate chamfered resection of the patient's talus for the implantation of the talus component thereon.