Upper Extremity Fusion Device with Targeting Instrument

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current partial wrist arthrodesis devices lack consistency and reproducibility in achieving bone fusion, leading to unpredictable clinical outcomes due to variations in placement and orientation of fusion devices from surgeon to surgeon and patient to patient.

Innovation Solution

A bone fusion device with a fusion implant and surgical instrument system that includes a targeting member, guide member, and outrigger member, featuring a unique configuration of apertures and threads to ensure precise alignment and orientation, facilitating consistent and reproducible bone fusion in the upper extremity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If plates, implants, screws and the like are used to achieve partial wrist fusion, then fusion can be attempted, but the exact placement of the particular plate, implant or screws from surgeon to surgeon and patient to patient are rarely consistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement consistencyVSAvoiddevice configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fusion implant is pre-configured with apertures and threads in specific patterns before surgery. The surgical instrument system is pre-designed with targeting members, guide members, and outrigger members that dictate the exact placement and orientation of the implant and fasteners, eliminating the need for surgeons to manually determine optimal positions during surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical instrument system acts as an intermediary between the surgeon's intent and the final implant placement. The targeting member, guide member, and outrigger member work together as a coordinated system to translate surgical planning into precise physical placement, ensuring consistency across different surgeons and patients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the placement and orientation of bones at the time of wrist fusion is critical to obtaining bony fusion, then precise positioning is required, but prior art devices fail to provide consistent and reproducible fusion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefusion predictabilityVSAvoidplacement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical instrument system is pre-configured with targeting members and guide members that establish the correct bone placement and orientation before the fusion implant is inserted. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the implant is placed, the bones are already in the optimal configuration for successful fusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual surgical judgment and ad-hoc positioning with a standardized mechanical system consisting of targeting members, guide members, and outrigger members that automatically ensure correct placement and orientation, thereby improving reliability and predictability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If total wrist arthrodesis is performed to relieve pain, then pain relief is achieved, but almost all wrist motion is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepain reliefVSAvoidwrist motion preservation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fusion implant and fastener system is designed to provide stable fixation at the specific bone interfaces that need fusion for pain relief, while allowing other wrist structures to maintain their natural motion capabilities. The localized nature of the device enables selective fusion of only the problematic articulations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Adaptability or versatility

If partial wrist arthrodesis is performed to preserve wrist motion, then wrist mobility is maintained, but the exact placement and orientation from surgeon to surgeon are rarely consistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewrist motion preservationVSAvoidplacement consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical instrument system with its targeting and guide members is pre-configured to establish consistent placement and orientation for partial wrist fusion procedures. This preliminary setup ensures that motion-preserving fusion can be replicated with high precision across different surgeons and patients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11951014B2Upper extremity fusion devices and methods

Publication Date: 2024.04.09 MEDARTIS AG

AI summary

A fusion implant and fusion members for fusing target bones of an upper extremity. The fusion implant including internally threaded apertures of a first thread lead, and the fusion members including threading of the first thread lead and threading of a second thread lead that is less than the first thread lead. The fusion implant and a targeting instrument being configured to couple to one another in a predefined orientation. The predetermined orientation resulting in alignment of aspects of the fusion implant with aspects of the targeting instrument. A guide clamp for facilitating forming of an implant cavity in adjacent bones for implantation of the fusion implant therein. A surgical method for facilitating fusion of adjacent target bones utilizing a fusion implant, fusion members, a targeting instrument and a guide clamp to reduce space between the adjacent bones such that they at least abut one another.