Break-Away Spinal Implant Receiver for Minimally Invasive Rod Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical treatments for spinal disorders, such as kyphosis and scoliosis, often require invasive procedures that cause significant damage to surrounding soft tissue due to the need for extensive manipulation and fixation of vertebral rods.
Innovation Solution
A spinal implant system featuring a multi-axial bone fastener with extendable extensions that fracture from a receiver to enable minimally invasive surgery, utilizing a break-away surface design to minimize tissue damage and facilitate precise fixation of spinal rods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional surgical treatments are used to fixate spinal rods, then spinal stability is achieved, but significant damage to surrounding soft tissue occurs due to extensive manipulation and fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The bone fastener is divided into distinct components: a receiver that remains implanted and extensions that are temporarily attached for surgical manipulation. This segmentation allows the extensions to be removed after fixation, minimizing long-term soft tissue interaction while maintaining spinal stability through the permanent receiver component.
Solution Approach 2:
The extensions are extracted from the final implant configuration - they are temporarily attached during surgery to facilitate rod fixation, then deliberately removed (broken away) after serving their temporary purpose. This extraction eliminates the harmful effect of permanent extensions that would continue to damage soft tissue, while the receiver remains to provide ongoing spinal stability.
2Reliability
If extensions are permanently attached to bone fasteners, then fixation capability is enhanced, but soft tissue exposure and damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between extensions and receiver transitions from a permanent static attachment to a dynamic, temporary connection. The extensions are firmly attached during surgery to provide reliable fixation capability, then deliberately disconnected (broken away) after serving their temporary function, adapting the system's configuration to different surgical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The extensions serve as temporary, disposable components that are discarded after fulfilling their fixation purpose. They are firmly attached during surgery to enable reliable rod fixation, then deliberately broken away and removed, allowing the receiver to remain as the permanent implant without the harmful extensions.
3Manufacturing precision
If extensive manipulation is performed during spinal fixation, then proper alignment and stability are achieved, but invasive procedures cause significant tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The extensions are pre-attached to the receiver before surgery, providing ready-to-use fixation capability. During surgery, these pre-prepared extensions enable precise rod alignment and fixation with minimal additional manipulation required, reducing the extent of invasive procedures needed to achieve proper vertebral alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal implant includes a receiver having a first arm connected to a first extension and a second arm connected to a second extension. The arms are connected to the extensions via a break away surface. The arms include a proximal most end surface and the receiver includes an implant receiving surface. The proximal most end surface and the implant receiving surface defining an implant cavity. The break away surface is disposed within the implant cavity. In some embodiments, systems, spinal constructs and methods are disclosed.