Tibial stent: Designing a novel fixation device for pediatric orthopaedic tibia fractures

Project Overview

Problem Statement:
Tibia fractures are common in children, and these injuries are currently managed nonoperatively using casts; however, a surgically implanted device would provide more structural stability and aid the healing of the fracture. Adult patients with this injury typically have a rigid intramedullary device implanted into their tibia bone. Unfortunately, these implants cannot be used in pediatric patients due to the presence of growth plates at the implantation site. A previous design team produced a working device that can enter the medullary canal through a hole in the side of the bone and then expand outward to stabilize the fracture, held in place by static friction against the canal wall. This device is flexible enough to fit into the canal, yet rigid enough to maintain fracture reduction, can be secured in place with screws, and can be removed from the canal when desired; however, the device is not fully fixated against the walls of the bone canal, and the friction force of the device is not sufficient to prevent axial rotation within the canal. This rotation can lead to device failure resulting in unnecessary pain for the patient and extra surgery to correct the issue.
The goal of this semester is to improve the existing device by improving its fixation and adding more radial force thereby advancing this project toward clinical use.