Coiled Spinal Implant Strip for Motion-Accommodating Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal fusion implants require invasive surgery and rigidly fix adjacent bones together, lacking the ability to accommodate motion and being implanted through minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A spinal prosthesis in the form of an implant strip with varying axial heights, coiled shapes, and surface features such as teeth and protrusions, allowing for insertion between vertebrae and accommodating motion through shape memory alloys and polymers that can be selectively applied with bone growth promoting agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional threaded spinal implants or plugs are used, then spinal fusion is achieved, but invasive surgery is required and motion is not accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The implant strip incorporates a coiled spring mechanism that provides dynamic response to compression forces, allowing the implant to compress and expand during spinal motion while maintaining fusion. This dynamic structure enables minimally invasive implantation while accommodating motion, resolving the contradiction between reliable fusion and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant strip uses a flexible metallic coil structure that can be compressed through minimally invasive procedures and then expands to provide rigid fusion support. The flexible coiled design allows passage through narrow canals while maintaining the ability to achieve reliable spinal fusion.
2Reliability
If traditional spinal fusion implants are used, then bone fusion is promoted, but motion between adjacent vertebrae is not allowed
Solution Approach 1:
The coiled spring mechanism within the implant strip provides dynamic motion accommodation while promoting bone fusion. The spring can compress and expand in response to spinal motion, allowing controlled movement between vertebrae while maintaining the fusion process, thus achieving both reliable bone fusion and motion adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant strip changes its mechanical parameters dynamically - transitioning from a compressed state during implantation to an expanded state for fusion, and adjusting its stiffness characteristics over time to accommodate motion while maintaining fusion stability.
3Reliability
If rigid fixation is applied to ensure stability, then fusion reliability is improved, but motion accommodation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The implant strip employs a dynamic coiled spring structure that provides rigid fixation during fusion while allowing motion accommodation through elastic deformation. The spring mechanism can be compressed for implantation and then expands to provide stable fixation, dynamically adjusting between rigid and flexible states as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant strip combines metallic coiled spring material with bone growth promoting agents, creating a composite structure that provides both mechanical stability for fusion and biological activity to enhance bone growth, while the coiled structure maintains motion flexibility.
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
Enables minimally invasive implantation, accommodates motion, and facilitates bone growth, providing a flexible and effective spinal fusion solution.
Implementation Method 1
accommodating motion through shape memory alloys and polymers
Implementation Method 2
accommodating motion through shape memory alloys and polymers that can be selectively applied with bone growth promoting agents
Data Source
AI summary
An implant strip is disclosed. In some cases, the prosthesis can take the form of an implant strip that may be implanted through the use of a surgical procedure that minimizes incision sizes and may be considered less invasive than typical spinal implant procedures. The implant strip includes provisions for implantation, including teeth, spacing provisions, and various shapes.