Articulatable Spinal Manipulation Device With Locking Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal surgery devices lack flexibility and require multiple steps for stabilization, leading to prolonged surgeries and difficulty in manipulating vertebrae, especially in procedures requiring restricted range of motion.
Innovation Solution
A manipulation device with articulatable legs and a lock member that transitions between unlocked and locked conditions, allowing independent manipulation and coordinated locking of surgical instruments, facilitating spinal rod insertion and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional rigid screws and connecting rods are used for spinal stabilization, then the spinal construct provides structural support, but the device lacks flexibility making manipulation and repositioning of vertebrae difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the connecting rod system movable and adjustable rather than fixed. The manipulating device with articulatable legs allows the connecting rod to be repositioned and adjusted during surgery, enabling dynamic manipulation of vertebrae while maintaining structural support. This resolves the contradiction by providing both stability and flexibility through controlled movement capability.
2Ease of operation
If polyaxial screws with flexible connections are used, then attachment of connecting rod is facilitated, but the range of motion is too great for procedures requiring restricted movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the connecting rod to be positioned at different angles and orientations during manipulation, then locking it into a fixed position once the desired configuration is achieved. The manipulating device enables adjustment of the rod's angular parameters during surgery, providing both ease of attachment and controlled range of motion by transitioning from a movable state to a locked stable state.
3Reliability
If conventional instrumentation with multiple connecting and positioning steps is used, then vertebrae can be stabilized in desired position, but surgery time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the manipulating device with articulatable legs and lock members that can simultaneously position multiple connecting rods. This allows surgeons to perform positioning actions in advance or in coordinated fashion, reducing the number of sequential steps required and decreasing surgery time while maintaining accurate stabilization of vertebrae in the desired positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A manipulation device includes a body portion, a plurality of articulatable legs, and at least one lock member. The legs extend from the body portion. Each of the legs is configured to engage a surgical instrument at a distal end thereof. Each of the legs is transitionable between an unlocked condition, wherein the leg is free to articulate, and a locked condition, wherein the leg is fixed in position. The at least one lock member is operably disposed within the body portion and is coupled to at least one of the articulatable legs. The lock member is rotatable relative to the body portion between an unlocked position and a locked position for transitioning the at least one articulatable leg coupled thereto between the unlocked condition and the locked condition.