Spinal Bone Stabilization Member with Sliding Retention Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spinal fixation systems face challenges in securely stabilizing vertebrae and preventing bone screws from backing out postoperatively, which can lead to instability and complications in spinal procedures.
Innovation Solution
A bone stabilization construct with a retention member that is linearly slidable between a first and second position, allowing for secure insertion and locking of bone screws to prevent them from backing out, featuring multiple bone screw openings and a locking mechanism to ensure stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If bone screws are used to secure the bone stabilization member to vertebrae, then the stabilization strength is improved, but the risk of bone screws backing out postoperatively increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retention member is positioned in advance to cover the bone screw openings, creating a preliminary barrier that prevents bone screws from backing out. This preliminary protective action is taken before the bone screws can potentially loosen or back out postoperatively, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining strong fixation and preventing screw loosening.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention member acts as an intermediary element between the bone stabilization member and the bone screws. It mediates the potential harmful action of bone screws backing out by providing a physical barrier that covers the bone screw openings, thus protecting the bone-screw interface while maintaining the stabilization function.
2Reliability
If the retention member covers the bone screw openings to prevent backing out, then bone screw retention is improved, but the ease of bone screw insertion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The retention member is designed to be movable relative to the bone stabilization member, allowing it to dynamically transition between covering and uncovering the bone screw openings. During insertion, the retention member is positioned to uncover the openings for easy bone screw insertion. After insertion, it is positioned to cover the openings for retention, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of insertion and retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into two functional components: the bone stabilization member with bone screw openings and the movable retention member. This segmentation allows the retention member to independently control access to the bone screw openings, enabling easy insertion when uncovered and secure retention when covered, without compromising either function.
3Ease of operation
If the retention member is made movable to allow positioning, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into the bone stabilization member and the retention member as separate, independently movable components. This segmentation allows the retention member to be positioned and secured separately using simple fastening mechanisms, providing ease of operation without requiring complex integrated mechanisms, thus resolving the contradiction between movability and complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal implant for stabilizing first and second vertebrae. The spinal implant includes an intervertebral spacer and a bone stabilization member configured to be coupled to the intervertebral spacer. The bone stabilization member includes a plurality of bone screw openings and a plurality of bone screws extendable through the bone screw openings to secure the bone stabilization member to the vertebrae. A retention member, which is slidably coupled to the bone stabilization member, is linearly slidable between a first position and a second position while coupled to the bone stabilization member. In the first position, each of the bone screws is permitted to be inserted into the bone screw openings, and in the second position the retention member at least partially covers each of the bone screw openings to prevent a bone screw from backing out of the respective bone screw opening.