Bone Anchor Cement Delivery System for Osteoporotic Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bone anchors used in orthopedic surgery often pull out or become displaced from poor quality bones, such as osteoporotic bone, before the healing or fusion process is complete.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for delivering bone cement or other materials to bone anchors, utilizing an anchor connection instrument that releasably connects to the bone anchor and a cement delivery tube positioned within the anchor connection instrument, allowing for secure attachment and cement delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bone anchors are used in poor quality bone, then the bone anchor can be implanted, but the bone anchor may pull out or be displaced before healing completes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchor stabilityVSAvoidbone quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The system delivers bone cement to the bone anchor before final implantation or immediately after, allowing the cement to set and create a stabilizing bond between the anchor and bone, preventing pullout in poor quality bone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Bone cement acts as an intermediary material between the bone anchor and the poor quality bone, creating a bonding interface that transfers loads and prevents anchor displacement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If an anchor connection instrument is used to deliver bone cement, then the cement can be delivered to the bone anchor, but the instrument must be releasably connected and then removed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstrument connectionVSAvoidcement delivery accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor connection instrument is designed to be removed after cement delivery, extracting the delivery function from the final implant configuration. The instrument connects during delivery then detaches, leaving only the bone anchor and cement in place

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The bone cement itself serves to secure the bone anchor after delivery, making the instrument's connection and delivery functions temporary and self-limiting. The cement sets to provide ongoing stabilization without requiring the instrument to remain in place

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUSRE50403E1Systems and methods for delivering bone cement to a bone anchor

Publication Date: 2025.04.29 DEPUY SYNTHES PROD INC

AI summary

A method of stabilizing a first vertebra and a second vertebra includes implanting a first bone anchor into the first vertebra, implanting a second bone anchor into the second vertebra, connecting a first anchor connection instrument to the first anchor, connecting a second anchor connection instrument the second anchor, positioning a cement delivery tube into a passage provided through the first anchor, delivering bone cement from a bone cement delivery system coupled to the bone cement delivery tube through the passage in the first anchor to the first vertebra, removing the cement delivery tube from the first anchor connection instrument and the first anchor, connecting the cement delivery tube to second anchor connecting instrument connected to the second anchor, delivering bone cement through a passage in the second anchor to the second vertebra, connecting a spinal connection element to the first anchor and the second anchor.