Bone Anchor Housing with Rounded Notches for High Angulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone anchor systems face challenges in achieving high angulation for cortical trajectories during spinal procedures, which requires larger diameter and length anchors, and also complicates the alignment of housings to accept connecting rods.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of rounded notches in the distal end of the anchor housing, allowing for a secondary bore that enables high angulation of the anchor relative to the housing, facilitates the use of cortical trajectories while maintaining alignment for connecting rods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If larger diameter and length anchors are used to achieve high angulation for cortical trajectories, then the anchor strength and stability are improved, but the device complexity and surgical difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with a dynamic angular adjustment mechanism that allows the anchor to be rotated to various angles (e.g., 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°) relative to the housing longitudinal axis. This dynamic adjustability enables the system to achieve high angulation for cortical trajectories without requiring proportionally larger anchor dimensions, as the angle can be optimized during surgery rather than being fixed by oversized hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor system is divided into separate functional components: the housing (which provides structural support and angular adjustment), the anchor (which engages with the bone), and the connecting member (which transmits load). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the housing handles the angular complexity while the anchor maintains appropriate dimensions for bone engagement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If larger diameter and length anchors are used to achieve high angulation, then the anchor stability is improved, but the muscle disruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic angular adjustment capability allows the anchor to be positioned at optimal angles for cortical trajectory engagement while using smaller anchor dimensions. This reduces the overall footprint of the implant, thereby minimizing muscle disruption and soft tissue damage during insertion and fixation.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional anchor housing design is used, then the manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the alignment difficulty for connecting rods increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing incorporates asymmetric angular positioning features (such as offset bores or indexed positioning marks) that are specifically configured to align with corresponding features on the connecting rod. This asymmetric design provides positive alignment guidance, making it easier to correctly position the connecting rod relative to the housing while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized machining processes.
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor assembly can be couplable to a bone and can include an anchor and a housing. The anchor can include a shank securable to bone and a head coupled to a proximal portion of the shank. The housing can include a proximal portion including an anchor bore and a distal portion including a secondary bore configured to engage the anchor to limit angulation of the anchor relative to the housing.