Adjustable Spinal Rod Telescopic Segments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices implanted in the body to provide support or stabilization, such as spinal rods, often require replacement due to growth or changes in the patient's anatomy, necessitating additional surgical procedures to adjust their length.
Innovation Solution
The development of adjustable medical devices comprising elongate members that can be coupled to anatomical structures within the body, allowing for length adjustment through mechanisms like telescopic movement, fluid control, or threaded adjustments, enabling the device to accommodate changes in patient size without the need for additional surgeries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-length support rod is implanted to provide spinal support, then the device provides stable support at implantation, but the device cannot accommodate patient growth or anatomical changes without additional surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The support rod is divided into multiple telescopic segments that can move relative to each other along the longitudinal axis. Each segment contains internal mechanical structures (such as cam mechanisms, springs, or friction elements) that enable controlled extension and retraction, allowing the rod to lengthen or shorten in response to patient growth or anatomical changes without requiring complete device replacement
Solution Approach 2:
The support rod transitions from a static fixed-length structure to a dynamic adjustable-length structure. The rod incorporates movable interfaces between segments that allow continuous or stepwise adjustment of the overall rod length, enabling the device to adapt to changing anatomical conditions while maintaining structural integrity and support function
2Adaptability or versatility
If an adjustable mechanism is added to the support rod to accommodate growth, then the device can be adjusted after implantation, but the device complexity and potential reliability issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic support rod incorporates self-adjusting mechanisms that respond automatically to physiological conditions or applied forces. For example, the rod may use elastic deformation of the segments, friction-based locking, or spring-loaded extension mechanisms that automatically maintain appropriate length and stability without requiring external control systems or complex actuation mechanisms, thereby reducing failure points while preserving adjustability
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device includes a first elongate member defining an interior region and configured to be coupled to a first anatomical structure within a body and a second elongate member configured to be coupled to a second anatomical structure within the body. A portion of the second elongate member is configured to be disposed within the interior region. The first and second elongate members collectively have a first configuration in which they collectively have a first length when the portion of the second elongate member is disposed within the interior region of the first elongate member. When coupled to the first and second anatomical structures, the first and second elongate members can be moved to a second configuration in which they collectively have a second length different than the first length.