Enhancement of Bone Canal Drilling Process and Equipments: The Impact of Technology and Knowledge Transfer from Oil Well Drilling Techniques

Abstract

Bone fracture or bone loss can happen as a result of automobile and motorcycle accidents, falls from a height, sports injuries, aging population and other diseases, for which surgical procedures to support the bone with the help of a metallic rod is applied using a specific procedure called bone drilling. The bone-drilling process necessitates an accurate and efficient surgical drill bit to minimize thermal damage or additional impairment to the bone. The success of this process is dependent upon the eminence of the drilling procedure, drilling equipment and hands -on experience of the specialists performing the operation while minimizing associated injury to the surrounding tissue, or the significant rise of temperature to the neighboring bone and periosteum due to the conversion of friction energy to the thermal energy. The current technology for bone rods implants depends highly on the experience of the specialist performing the operation. There are numerous companies on the market that deliver bone drilling equipment; however, the selection process of a specific tool and the training involved are ultimately the choices of the specialist. Nevertheless, the need in meeting an accurate efficient operation of these in-market drilling bone equipment continues to be a challenge as many pertinent questions remain without solutions.This paper demonstrates the inconsistency in bone drilling process and equipment alongside with training insufficiency of specialists and highlight the importance of technology and knowledge transfer.This research provides groundwork in adopting lessons learned from oil well drilling process and frameworks which can be very effective for optimal bone drill procedures can cause both mechanical and thermal damages to both bone and surrounding tissues.