Trochanteric Grip Cable Stress Distribution

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical implants for attaching the greater trochanter during hip replacement surgery face challenges in maintaining proper positioning due to dynamic forces from the abductor musculature, leading to potential displacement and complications in healing.

Innovation Solution

A bone grip with a solid, shell-like body featuring convergent oblique bores and hooked tines that distribute cable stress by avoiding acute angles, allowing for secure attachment and tensioning of cables around the femur to maintain the trochanter's position without abrupt bends or corners, thereby reducing the risk of displacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If cables are threaded through grooves or bores requiring abrupt bends or curves, then the device can be simpler in structure, but the cable experiences concentrated stress and potential damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable retention structureVSAvoidcable stress distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces abrupt bends and sharp corners with smooth, curved cable pathways. The grooves and bores are designed with continuous curvature to guide the cable through the device without sudden direction changes, distributing stress evenly along the cable length and preventing concentrated loading points that could cause failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If the trochanter is secured with traditional bone plates or grips, then the trochanter can be held in position, but the dynamic forces from abductor musculature can still cause displacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrochanter positioning stabilityVSAvoiddynamic forces from musculature
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs multiple cable tensioning points distributed across the device body, allowing independent adjustment of tension at each point. This enables the system to adapt to the dynamic force vectors generated by abductor musculature during movement, maintaining optimal compression and positioning of the trochanter throughout the range of motion rather than relying on a single fixed tension point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If drilling holes through the femur is required to pass cables, then secure attachment can be achieved, but the surgical procedure becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable attachment securityVSAvoidsurgical procedure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the cable retention function into multiple separate grooves and bores distributed across the device body, each serving as an independent cable pathway. This segmentation allows the surgeon to thread cables through pre-formed channels in the device itself rather than requiring complex drilling through the femur, simplifying the surgical procedure while maintaining secure cable attachment through multiple distributed retention points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2117452B1Trochanteric grip
Publication Date: 2016.07.20 KINAMED INC
  • EP2117452B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2117452B1 patent drawingFigure 4~8

AI summary

A surgical method and apparatus employs a trochanteric grip or bone plate having cable guides adapted to direct the necessary transitions in cable direction smoothly in different planes, thereby directing the cable in the direction of tension and preventing wear and concentration of stress in the cable.