Cannulated Screw Balloon Intervertebral Disc Space Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical options for intervertebral disc deterioration, such as laminectomy and artificial disc replacement, are invasive and require prolonged hospitalization and recovery, lacking a solution that effectively maintains intervertebral disc space and absorbs shocks through a full range of natural motion.
Innovation Solution
A cannulated screw with an inflatable balloon is implanted to mimic the natural disc, anchored to the vertebral body through the pedicle, allowing for minimal incisions and maintaining intervertebral disc space through a full range of motion while absorbing shocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical options like laminectomy and discectomy are used, then disc deterioration is treated, but surgical invasiveness and hospitalization time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is nested within the cannulated screw structure, allowing the implant to be inserted through a single pedicle trajectory. The balloon expands inside the screw to provide nucleus replacement functionality while maintaining a compact implantable profile, reducing surgical invasiveness compared to traditional multi-component artificial disc replacements
Solution Approach 2:
The implant separates the functions of anchoring (cannulated screw with threads) and nucleus replacement (expandable balloon) into distinct components. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the screw provides secure vertebral body anchoring while the balloon provides shock absorption and disc space maintenance, achieving reliable treatment with a simplified surgical approach
2Reliability
If artificial disc replacement prosthetics are used, then disc function is restored, but surgical recovery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the anchoring function (screw) and nucleus replacement function (balloon) into a single integrated implant that can be deployed through one surgical approach. This combination eliminates the need for separate procedures to secure the implant and replace the nucleus, reducing surgical time and facilitating faster patient recovery while maintaining disc space and shock absorption capabilities
3Reliability
If the balloon is made resilient to support compressive loads, then shock absorption is improved, but the implant size when inflated increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon material properties are optimized to achieve high resilience and shock absorption in a compact volume. By selecting specific elastomeric materials with appropriate modulus and elasticity, the balloon can support compressive and cyclic loads effectively while maintaining a size that fits within the intervertebral disc space when inflated
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces surgical time and hospitalization, providing a less invasive method to maintain intervertebral disc space and absorb shocks, thereby improving patient recovery and reducing the need for extensive surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
resilient balloon structure capable of supporting compressive and cyclic loads
Data Source
AI summary
A cannulated screw having a resilient balloon structure capable of supporting compressive and cyclic loads. The balloon provides an artificial disc prosthesis by use of the balloon that mimics the porperties of the natural disc by maintaining the intervertebral disc space through a full range of natural motion, absorbing shocks and permitting a natural range of motion.