Annulus Implant Arm Structure to Resist Disc Material Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for sealing intervertebral disc defects fail to maintain structural integrity over a patient's lifetime, allowing nucleus pulposus material to be ejected and interfere with vertebral column motion.
Innovation Solution
An implant with a unique design featuring proximal, distal, and intermediate arm assemblies, each with acute angles and curved faces, providing secure anchoring and resistance to ejection forces while allowing full range of motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a device is placed in the annulus to seal the defect, then the annulus is sealed against further release of nucleus pulposus material, but the device tends to be ejected over time responsive to forces developed in the remaining nucleus pulposus material
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple arms (proximal arms and distal arms) that can be independently positioned and secured within the annulus. Each arm acts as a separate anchoring element, distributing the sealing function across multiple points rather than relying on a single structure, thereby reducing the likelihood of ejection while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a single-plane sealing structure to a three-dimensional configuration with arms extending in multiple directions (proximal and distal directions). This multi-dimensional arrangement creates a more robust sealing mechanism that can resist ejection forces from multiple angles, improving both sealing effectiveness and positional stability.
2Strength
If a device is designed to resist ejection forces, then structural integrity is improved, but the device may interfere with a full range of motion of the vertebral column
Solution Approach 1:
The device exhibits different mechanical properties in different regions: the arms are designed with sufficient rigidity to resist ejection forces, while the overall device configuration allows for flexible movement within the annulus. The proximal and distal arms can independently accommodate local deformations and movements without compromising the entire device's strength or interfering with vertebral column motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to be dynamic rather than rigid, allowing the arms to move and adapt to the natural motion of the vertebral column. The proximal and distal arms can flex and position themselves according to the mechanical environment, maintaining sealing effectiveness while permitting full range of motion without interfering with normal spinal movement.
3Reliability
If the device is made with strong structural components to maintain integrity over patient lifetime, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each arm of the device serves multiple functions: they provide anchoring, contribute to sealing, and enable movement. The proximal and distal arms collectively achieve structural integrity without requiring separate components for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability over the patient lifetime.
Data Source
AI summary
An implant constituted of: a body exhibiting a longitudinal axis; proximal arms extending from the body, each of the proximal arms extending in a respective direction and exhibiting a respective acute angle with the longitudinal axis, the body positioned between the proximal arms; distal arms extending from the body, each of the distal arms extending in a respective direction and exhibiting a respective acute angle with the longitudinal axis, the respective directions of extension of the distal arms generally opposing the respective directions of extension of the proximal arms, the body positioned between the distal arms; and intermediate arm assemblies extending from the body, each of the intermediate arm assemblies extending in a respective direction rotated about the longitudinal axis from the respective extension directions of the proximal arms and exhibiting a respective acute angle with the longitudinal axis, the body positioned between the intermediate arm assemblies.