Custom Cervical Artificial Disc Design via Landmark Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cervical artificial discs are not patient-customized, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing and surgical procedures due to their standardized design, which can result in reduced surgical success rates and increased difficulty in positioning during cervical artificial disc replacement surgery.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to model the available space for a cervical artificial disc using a plurality of landmarks, allowing for the precise design of a customized disc that matches the individual patient's anatomy, comprising a cranial plate, caudal plate, and artificial disc member formed based on the modeled space, with specific landmarks defining the dimensions and shape for optimal fit and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standardized design is used for cervical artificial discs, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but surgical success rate deteriorates due to poor anatomical fit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by customizing the artificial disc dimensions (height, width, curvature radius) based on individual patient anatomical measurements. The design parameters are adjusted to match the specific A-space measurements obtained from CT scans, ensuring optimal fit while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through controlled variation of key dimensional parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by tailoring specific regions of the artificial disc to match local anatomical features. The cranial and caudal plate dimensions, curvature radii, and overall disc height are customized according to the patient's specific vertebral anatomy, ensuring that each region of the implant matches the corresponding region of the patient's cervical spine.
2Reliability
If a patient-customized design is implemented, then surgical success rate is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing complete disc design and manufacturing preparation before the surgical procedure. All measurements, modeling, and design decisions are finalized in advance based on pre-operative CT scans, allowing the actual surgery to proceed without complex intraoperative customization and reducing surgical time and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a digital 3D model (A-space) that replicates the patient's actual anatomical space between vertebrae. This digital copy is then used to design the artificial disc, eliminating the need for complex physical trial-and-error fitting during surgery and simplifying the manufacturing process through precise digital-to-physical translation.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional manufacturing processes are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but design efficiency deteriorates due to time-consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement and design methods with computer-based imaging and modeling systems. CT scans and 3D digital modeling substitute for traditional physical measurement tools and manual design processes, dramatically improving design efficiency while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing capabilities through standard digital-to-physical fabrication workflows.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a cervical artificial disc and a method of constructing the same, and to the cervical artificial disc and the method, in which an available space into which the cervical artificial disc is to be inserted is modeled by designating a plurality of landmarks, and the cervical artificial disc is designed based on the available space modeling, when designing the cervical artificial disc for a patient who requires cervical artificial disc replacement surgery.