intervertebral fusion cage

Abstract

The present invention provides an intervertebral fusion cage comprising support plates and a plurality of tree-like support devices arranged in an array between the support plates. The plurality of tree-like support devices have the same structure. The tree-like support devices include a main body and a support portion. The support portion includes a plurality of struts, each of which is fixed to the main body at one end and has a support surface at the other end. In this case, the main body can support the cage via the struts of the support portion formed thereon, and the struts can stably support the cage via the support surfaces at one end, thereby improving the stability of the cage and inducing bone growth, promoting recovery.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of a patent application with an application date of May 13, 2019, application number 201910392538.4, and invention name “Tree-shaped support device for intervertebral fusion device”. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an intervertebral fusion cage. Background Art

[0003] With the increasing aging of the population and the changes in the living habits of modern urban people, spinal degenerative diseases represented by cervical spondylosis, cervical disc herniation, lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, etc. are seriously affecting people's work and life. At present, in the early stages of the above-mentioned diseases, most of them use conservative treatment methods such as drug therapy, physical therapy, etc. However, as the patient's condition worsens, it is necessary to consider the use of more effective treatment methods such as vertebral fusion to suppress the worsening of the patient's condition. Taking lumbar disc herniation as an example, when the disc herniation compresses more than 1 / 3 of the spinal canal or there is numbness of the lower limbs, difficulty in movement, weak urination and defecation, etc., the therapeutic effect of conservative treatment methods is no longer obvious, and it is necessary to consider performing vertebral fusion on the patient.

[0004] During intervertebral fusion surgery, the herniated disc is removed and an intervertebral fusion cage is implanted to induce fusion of the vertebrae, thereby eliminating the lesion. In the clinical application of intervertebral fusion surgery, since the intervertebral fusion cage remains in the human body for a long time after surgery, factors such as the cage's structure, manufacturing technology, and quality play a crucial role in the postoperative outcome of intervertebral fusion surgery.

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a customizable spinal fusion device comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, a shaping spring, an inner bio-silicone ring, an outer bio-silicone ring, and buckles A and B. The upper and lower plates are connected by a return spring. The inner and outer bio-silicone rings are located on the inner and outer sides of the return spring and connected to the upper and lower plates via buckles A and B. The outer bio-silicone ring has a bone cement injection hole.

[0006] However, although the fusion device described in Patent Document 1 can be adjusted in height, angle, and inclination, its plastic spring is unstable and can easily cause slippage during use. Therefore, the fusion device described in Patent Document 1 is not conducive to intervertebral fusion.

[0007] Prior art literature

[0008] Patent document 1: Chinese patent application publication number CN104083235A. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned state of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide an intervertebral fusion device that can stably support vertebrae, increase permeability, and promote bone growth.

[0010] To this end, the present disclosure provides a tree-like support device for an intervertebral fusion device, which includes: a main body portion, which is in the shape of an elongated strip; and a support portion, which is formed at at least one end of the main body portion along the length direction of the main body portion, and the support portion includes a plurality of pillars formed on the main body portion in a tree-like manner extending from the main body portion, one end of each of the pillars is fixed to the main body portion, and the other end has a support surface, and the support surfaces of each of the pillars are roughly coplanar.

[0011] In this case, the long main body can support the fusion device through the support pillars of the support portion formed thereon, and the support pillars can stably support the fusion device through the support surface at one end thereof, thereby improving the stability of the fusion device.

[0012] In addition, in the tree-like support device of the present disclosure, optionally, the plurality of pillars are rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the main body, thereby enabling the tree-like support device to be uniformly stressed.

[0013] In addition, in the tree-like support device of the present disclosure, optionally, the ends of the plurality of pillars fixed to the main body are common ends, thereby reducing stress concentration and making the stress distribution of the internal structure of the tree stump support device more uniform.

[0014] In addition, in the tree-like support device of the present disclosure, the support portion may optionally include at least three pillars, each of which is evenly distributed on the main body, thereby reducing stress concentration and making the stress distribution of the internal structure of the tree stump support device more uniform.

[0015] In addition, in the tree stump support device of the present disclosure, optionally, the main body and the support portion are integrally formed, thereby improving the overall stability of the tree stump support device.

[0016] In addition, in the tree-shaped support device of the present disclosure, optionally, when viewed from the central axis of the main body, the support surface is triangular, thereby minimizing the area of ​​the support surface while ensuring stability.

[0017] In addition, in the tree-like support device of the present disclosure, optionally, the outer diameter of the pillar gradually decreases from both ends to the middle, thereby reducing stress concentration and making the stress distribution of the internal structure of the tree stump support device more uniform.

[0018] In addition, in the tree-like support device of the present disclosure, optionally, the outer diameter of the ring formed by the pillars of the support portion is larger than the outer diameter of the main body portion, thereby reducing the volume of the main body portion while ensuring stability.

[0019] In addition, another aspect of the present disclosure provides an intervertebral fusion cage, characterized by comprising a plurality of tree-like support devices as described above arranged in an array, thereby improving the permeability and stability of the intervertebral fusion cage.

[0020] In addition, in the intervertebral fusion cage according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the array may be optionally filled with artificial bone, thereby inducing bone growth and promoting recovery.

[0021] According to the present invention, an intervertebral fusion device can be provided that can stably support vertebrae, increase permeability, and promote bone growth. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be explained in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing a tree-shaped support device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 2 1 is a front view showing a tree-shaped support device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 3 1 is a plan view showing a tree-like support device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 4 1 is a schematic diagram showing the three-dimensional structure of an intervertebral fusion cage according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an array of tree-shaped support devices of an intervertebral fusion cage according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure Number:

[0029] 1…tree-shaped support device, 11…main body, 12…support portion, 120…pillar, 121…support surface, 2…intervertebral fusion cage, 21…tree-shaped support device array, 22…support plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. In the accompanying drawings, identical components or components having identical functions are marked with identical symbols, and repeated descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0031] Figure 1 1 is a perspective view showing a tree-like support device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, the present disclosure provides a tree-like support device 1 for an intervertebral fusion device 2, which includes: a main body 11, which is in the shape of an elongated strip; and a support portion 12, which is formed on at least one end of the main body 11 along the length direction of the main body 11, and the support portion 12 includes a plurality of pillars 120 formed on the main body 11 in a tree-like manner extending from the main body 11, one end of each pillar 120 is fixed to the main body 11, and the other end has a support surface 121, and the support surfaces 121 of each pillar 120 are roughly coplanar.

[0033] In this case, the long main body 11 can support the fusion device through the pillars 120 of the support portion 12 formed thereon. The pillars 120 can stably support the fusion device through the support surface 121 at one end thereof, thereby improving the stability of the fusion device.

[0034] In some examples, the main body 11 may be cylindrical, in other examples, the main body 11 may be prism-shaped, dumbbell-shaped, ellipsoid-shaped, or other irregular shapes.

[0035] In some examples, the support portion 12 may be formed at one end of the main body 11 along the length of the main body 11. In other examples, the support portion 12 may be formed at both ends of the main body 11 along the length of the main body 11. In this way, appropriate support can be provided against pressure from both above and below.

[0036] In some examples, the main body 11 and support portion 12 can be integrally formed, thereby improving the overall stability of the tree stump support device. In other examples, the tree-shaped support device 1 can be manufactured using 3D printing. This allows the main body 11 and support portion 12 to be integrally formed, thereby improving the structural stability of the tree-shaped support device 1.

[0037] In other examples, the main body 11 and the support portion 12 may also be detachably assembled together. In this case, the pillars 120 can be arranged in a targeted manner according to different vertebrae and vertebral conditions, thereby improving the applicability of the tree-shaped support device 1.

[0038] In some examples, the ends of the plurality of pillars 120 fixed to the main body 11 may be a common end portion, thereby reducing stress concentration and making the stress distribution of the internal structure of the tree-shaped support device 1 more uniform.

[0039] Figure 21 is a front view showing a tree-like support device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 1 is a plan view showing a tree-like support device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, in the present disclosure, the support surface 121 of each support column 120 is coplanar with the plane S. In this case, the tree-shaped support device 1 can stably support the plane S where the support surface 121 is located through the support portion 12 .

[0041] In some examples, a gap may be provided between the main body 11 and the plane S where the support surface 121 of the pillar 120 is located, thereby forming a blood circulation pathway and promoting the growth and recovery of bone tissue.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, in some examples, the support portion 12 can be composed of multiple pillars 120 of the same length. In other examples, the pillars 120 of the support portion 12 can be uniform in length, size, and shape. In this case, the pressure on each pillar 120 is uniform, thereby improving the stability of the tree-shaped support device 1.

[0043] In some examples, the pillars 120 (in this disclosure, the pillars 120 include pillars 120a, 120b, and 120c) may be rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the main body 11. This allows the tree-like support device 1 to be evenly stressed.

[0044] In some examples, the support portion 12 may include at least three struts 120, each evenly distributed on the main body 11. This provides greater stability while reducing stress concentration, thereby achieving a more uniform stress distribution within the stump support device. In other examples, the support portion 12 may include, for example, four or five struts 120. In still other examples, the struts 120 of the support portion 12 may be unevenly distributed. This allows for customized tree-shaped support devices 1 with varying emphasis.

[0045] In the present disclosure, obtuse angles may be formed between each of the pillars 120a, 120b, and 120c when viewed from the central axis of the main body 11. Specifically, when viewed from the central axis of the main body 11, the angle formed between each of the center lines of the pillars 120a, 120b, and 120c is 120°.

[0046] In some examples, the outer diameter of the support 120 gradually decreases from both ends to the middle, thereby reducing stress concentration and making the stress distribution of the internal structure of the stump support device more uniform.

[0047] In some examples, the support surface 121 is triangular when viewed from the central axis of the main body 11. This allows the area of ​​the support surface 121 to be minimized while ensuring stability. In other examples, the support surface 121 can also be a quadrilateral, a pentagon, a circle, or other irregular shapes.

[0048] In some examples, the support surfaces 121a, 121b, and 121c may be of the same size and shape.

[0049] In some examples, the outer diameter of the ring formed by the pillars 120 of the support portion 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the main body 11. In this way, the volume of the main body 11 can be reduced while ensuring stability.

[0050] In the present disclosure, the tree-like support device 1 can be obtained by topology optimization. Among them, topology optimization is a mathematical method for optimizing the distribution of materials in a given area according to given load conditions, constraints and performance indicators, and is a way of structural optimization. Specifically, in the present disclosure, the material in the places with less stress is hollowed out and the main stress-bearing parts are retained to form the tree-like support device 1 obtained in the present disclosure. In this case, the intervertebral fusion device 2 supported by the tree-like support device 1 obtained by topology optimization can minimize the use of materials and reduce the body's rejection reaction, thereby improving the treatment effect.

[0051] In some examples, customized topology optimization can be performed based on human body data, thereby adapting to the different conditions of different patients.

[0052] In some examples, the tree-shaped support device 1 can be made of at least one of metal, ceramic, and polymer, so that the main body 11 can be made of a suitable material according to the situation.

[0053] In some examples, the material of the tree-like support device 1 can be selected from one or more of polylactic acid materials, polycaprolactone, polydioxanone, polyetheretherketone, and polyglycolic acid. In addition, in some examples, the material of the tree-like support device 1 can also be selected from one or more of random copolymers or block copolymers of lactide, caprolactone, polydioxanone, and glycolide. In addition, in other examples, the tree-like support device 1 can also be composed of one or more of polyorthoester (POE), polyphosphazene, polycaprolactone, polyester urethane, polyanhydride imine copolymer, polyhydroxybutyl ester and its copolymer, and polyamino acid (PAA).

[0054] In other examples, the tree-shaped support device 1 can also be made of one or more of medical stainless steel, platinum, titanium alloy, titanium-nickel shape memory alloy, cobalt-chromium alloy, or magnesium alloy. In this case, these materials are relatively cheaper and have higher material strength than absorbable materials, thereby reducing process difficulty and production costs.

[0055] Figure 4 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of an intervertebral fusion cage 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a tree-like support device array 21 of the intervertebral fusion cage 2 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] like Figure 4 As shown, another aspect of the present disclosure provides an intervertebral fusion cage 2, characterized by comprising a plurality of any of the above-mentioned tree-shaped support devices 1 arranged in an array, thereby improving the permeability and stability of the intervertebral fusion cage 2.

[0057] In the present disclosure, the intervertebral fusion cage 2 may further include a support plate 22. In some examples, the support plate 22 may also be an elastic plate, an elastic sheet, an elastic device, or other components of the intervertebral fusion cage 2. Thus, the intervertebral fusion cage 2 may be adapted to different vertebrae.

[0058] In some examples, the support plate 22 may also have multiple through holes (not shown) extending vertically therethrough. This can form a blood circulation pathway, promoting bone growth and recovery. The locations of the through holes are not particularly limited; in some examples, the through holes may be evenly distributed throughout the support plate 22.

[0059] In some examples, the through-holes may be in the shape of polygonal prisms, such as triangular prisms, quadrangular prisms, regular hexagonal prisms, etc. This allows the size of the through-holes to be increased while ensuring the structural stability of the support plate 22. In other examples, the through-holes may be in the shape of circles, triangles, quadrilaterals, or other irregular shapes.

[0060] In some examples, the support plate 22 may further include a blind hole (not shown). Specifically, in some examples, the blind hole may be rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, triangular, polygonal, or irregularly shaped. In this case, after the intervertebral fusion cage 2 is installed between vertebrae, as the bone grows, some of the bone will enter the blind hole and adhere to the intervertebral fusion cage 2, thereby achieving a better bond between the bone and the intervertebral fusion cage 2.

[0061] In other examples, artificial bone (not shown) can be filled into the blind hole to guide bone growth into the blind hole and accelerate fusion.

[0062] In some examples, gaps may be provided between the tree-like support devices 1 within the tree-like support device array 21. In other examples, the tree-like support devices 1 may be arranged in a crossed or overlapping manner within the tree-like support device array 21. This can reduce the overall volume of the intervertebral fusion cage 2.

[0063] In some examples, artificial bone (not shown) is also filled in the tree-shaped support device array 21 to induce bone growth and promote recovery.

[0064] In some examples, the artificial bone can be combined with the tree-shaped support device array 21 by heat pressing, thereby enabling the artificial bone to be firmly combined with the intervertebral fusion cage 2.

[0065] In some examples, artificial bone can include bioceramic particles and biodegradable polyester materials. In this case, the artificial bone can degrade after promoting bone growth, forming blood circulation pathways within the reticular structure, avoiding obstruction of blood circulation between vertebrae and facilitating bone growth and recovery.

[0066] In some examples, the bioceramic particles may include, for example, hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, etc. In some examples, the degradable polyester material may include, for example, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, and copolymers thereof.

[0067] In some examples, the porosity of the tree-like support device array 21 can be 70% to 90%. In the present disclosure, the porosity of the tree-like support device array 21 can be 80%. This ensures that a certain structural strength is maintained to facilitate blood circulation within the bone tissue and promote bone tissue growth.

[0068] Although the present invention has been specifically described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments, it will be understood that the above description does not limit the present invention in any form. Those skilled in the art may modify and change the present invention as needed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and these modifications and changes all fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intervertebral fusion cage, characterized in that: It comprises support plates, and a plurality of tree-shaped support devices having the same structure and arranged between the support plates and arranged in an array; The tree-shaped support device includes a main body and a support part. The main body is in the shape of an elongated strip, and the support portion is formed on at least one end of the main body along the length direction of the main body. The support portion includes a plurality of pillars formed on the main body in a tree-like manner extending from the main body, one end of each pillar is fixed to the main body, and the other end has a support surface, the support surface of each pillar is roughly coplanar with the support plate, and the end of each pillar fixed to the main body is a common end. When viewed from the central axis direction of the main body, an obtuse angle is formed between two adjacent pillars.

2. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of pillars are rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the main body.

3. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, wherein: The main body and the support portion are integrally formed.

4. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, wherein: The outer diameter of the ring formed by the plurality of pillars is larger than the outer diameter of the main body.

5. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, wherein: There is a gap between the main body and the plane where the supporting surface of the pillar is located.

6. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support plate has a through hole and a blind hole.

7. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 6, characterized in that: The blind hole is filled with artificial bone.

8. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The array formed by the plurality of tree-shaped support devices is filled with artificial bones.

9. The intervertebral fusion cage according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The artificial bone is made of bioceramic particles or degradable polyester material.

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