Articulating Spinal Spacer With Blocking Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal implants fail to provide sufficient structural support and stability under various loading conditions while maintaining ease of minimally invasive placement and preventing back-out, especially in degenerated or herniated disc spaces.
Innovation Solution
The development of spinal implants with a support body featuring a side recess for an articulating element that can rotate along multiple axes, a blocking member to prevent back-out, and a motion limiting member to prevent over-articulation, along with a tapered surface for self-distraction and bone graft integration, enhancing stability and flexibility during placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional spinal implant is used, then the implant can be placed minimally invasively, but the implant lacks sufficient structural support and stability under various loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into distinct functional components: a support body for structural strength, an articulating element for motion control, a blocking member for positioning, and a motion limiting member for stability. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall ease of placement through modular assembly.
2Reliability
If a traditional spinal implant is used, then the implant structure is simple, but the implant cannot prevent back-out or over-articulation
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is designed to automatically engage with the articulating element upon insertion, providing self-locking functionality that prevents back-out without requiring additional active components or complex mechanisms. The motion limiting member similarly provides passive constraint through geometric interference.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional spinal implant is used, then the implant can maintain basic spacing, but the implant cannot facilitate flexible positioning or integration with bone growth
Solution Approach 1:
The articulating element introduces controlled dynamic motion capability within the implant, allowing it to adapt to physiological movements and facilitate flexible positioning during insertion and healing. The motion limiting member simultaneously provides stability by constraining the range of motion to prevent excessive articulation.
4Strength
If a traditional spinal implant is used, then the implant structure is straightforward, but the implant cannot provide self-distraction or enhance bone graft integration
Solution Approach 1:
The articulating element incorporates a spherical or rounded geometry that enables self-distraction through rotational motion, creating mechanical leverage to separate vertebral bodies and enhance spacing. This curved geometry also provides larger surface area for bone graft integration while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Spinal implants are disclosed. One spinal implant includes a support body, an articulating element, a blocking member and a motion limiting member. The support body includes a superior end surface and a lower end surface having teeth. In between the superior end surface and the lower end surface is a recess formed in a sidewall of the support body for receiving the articulating element. The blocking member can be received in the recess to prevent inadvertent back-out of the articulating element from within the recess. The articulating element can articulate in one or more directions, thereby allowing articulation of the spinal implant into a desired position within a disc space.