TKA Surgical Computer for Quantifying Soft Tissue Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) relies heavily on surgeon experience, leading to risks of insufficient or excessive ligament release, causing complications like limited or abnormal joint movement due to the inability to quantify and balance soft tissue tension accurately.
Innovation Solution
A surgical upper computer system that includes a master machine and accessory to measure and visualize the relationship between joint flexion angle, pushing force, and gap between the femur and tibia, providing data for precise soft tissue balance adjustments during TKA.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional TKA relies on surgeon experience and feeling for gap balancing, then the surgical process is simple and quick, but the measurement precision of soft tissue tension is insufficient leading to complications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a master machine and accessory as intermediary devices between the surgeon and the knee joint. These devices include a push plate, force sensor, and displacement sensor that indirectly measure soft tissue tension by applying controlled forces and measuring the resulting gaps, thereby achieving precise measurement without direct complex instrumentation on the soft tissues themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical feeling-based gap balancing method with an instrumented system that uses force sensors and displacement sensors to electronically measure and quantify soft tissue tension. This substitution of mechanical sensation with electronic measurement systems enables objective, precise data collection while maintaining relative simplicity through standardized sensor integration.
2Reliability
If ligaments are released to achieve tension balance in traditional TKA, then soft tissue balance can be achieved, but the loss of substance (ligament tissue) increases causing potential long-term complications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurement of soft tissue tension before ligament release using the instrumented master machine. By measuring the gap and force data beforehand, the surgeon can determine whether ligament release is actually necessary, thereby avoiding unnecessary release of ligaments and preserving soft tissue structures while still achieving the desired tension balance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where real-time force and displacement data are provided to the surgeon during the procedure. This feedback allows the surgeon to make informed decisions about whether ligament release is needed by observing the measured tension levels, thereby minimizing unnecessary tissue removal while achieving proper soft tissue balance.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional TKA uses intramedullary and extramedullary positioning methods, then prosthesis alignment can be achieved, but the device complexity and operation time increase without quantitative feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The instrumented master machine enables the surgical system to self-measure and provide data about the soft tissue tension and gap characteristics. This self-service capability eliminates the need for extensive surgeon experience and subjective judgment, allowing for quicker decision-making and reduced operation time while maintaining alignment precision through objective measurement data.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical upper computer for a total knee arthroplasty, and a total knee arthroplasty system, in the field of surgical devices. The surgical upper computer includes a processor, and a memory storing which, when executed, enable the processor to execute operating modes of the surgical upper computer, where the operating modes include: exhibiting information to be input, the information to be input including a dynamic change range of a joint flexion angle, and a relationship between the joint flexion angle and a pushing force applied or a gap formed between a femur and a tibia; applying a pushing force during a process of dynamically adjusting the joint flexion angle, and acquiring corresponding relationship data between the pushing force and the gap; and visually exhibiting the corresponding relationship data. Accordingly, the force and gap between soft tissues in the total knee arthroplasty can be acquired and exhibited in a reasonable manner.