Conforming Expandable Spinal Implant for Even Endplate Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional spinal interbody implants face challenges in properly fitting the interbody space due to anatomical constraints, often causing excessive force, expulsion, migration, and instability, and fail to conform to natural bony structures, leading to issues like bone loss, pain, and decreased quality of life.
Innovation Solution
An expandable and conforming spinal implant with modular structures, including expanding and fixed columns, that can adjust to fit the interbody space and conform to the unique topology of bony endplates, limiting contact pressure to prevent bone damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional rigid spinal implant is used, then the implant provides structural support, but it cannot conform to natural bony endplate structures, leading to point loading and voids
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple columns (typically 3-5 columns) that can independently deform and conform to the bony endplate surface. Each column acts as an independent element that can adapt to local topography, eliminating the need for a single rigid surface and thereby preventing point loading while maintaining structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the implant have different mechanical properties - the columns are designed with specific stiffness characteristics that allow them to conform locally to the bony endplate while maintaining overall structural integrity. This local adaptability ensures even load distribution across the implant-bone interface.
2Strength
If an interbody implant is made taller to increase intervertebral height, then support is improved, but excessive contact force is applied to spinal vertebrae and surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The implant height is distributed across multiple columns rather than concentrated in a single structure. This segmentation allows the implant to provide adequate intervertebral height restoration while distributing the contact force across multiple column-bone interfaces, reducing the force on any single vertebra or tissue structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical parameters of the implant are optimized by adjusting column stiffness and spacing. The columns are designed with controlled stiffness values that allow the implant to provide necessary support while limiting peak contact forces to safe levels, preventing vertebral damage and tissue trauma.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a short interbody implant is used, then the risk of excessive force is reduced, but the risk of expulsion, migration, and painful instability increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple columns provide multiple contact points with the bony endplates, creating a distributed stabilization system. This segmented approach enhances implant stability and resistance to expulsion and migration while maintaining lower individual contact forces, as the load is shared across multiple column-bone interfaces rather than concentrated at single points.
Solution Approach 2:
The column spacing and stiffness parameters are optimized to achieve the necessary balance between stability and force distribution. By adjusting these parameters, the implant achieves adequate anchorage to prevent expulsion and migration while maintaining contact forces within safe limits.
4Ease of operation
If traditional spinal implants are used, then implantation is straightforward, but they do not conform to varying endplate topologies, resulting in localized high contact stress and bone loss
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented column structure naturally adapts to varying endplate topologies without requiring complex customization or difficult surgical techniques. The columns independently deform to match the local surface geometry, achieving conformity and even stress distribution while maintaining straightforward implantation procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of providing one or more conforming interbody implants, implants with one or more conforming regions, or related implants are described. According to some implementations, an interbody implant includes a first surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a first bony endplate, and a second surface configured to be disposed adjacent to a second body endplate, with a height of the interbody implant extending between the first surface and the second surface. According to some implementations, the interbody implant is configured to be selectively disposed in an insertion configuration and a deployed configuration. In some cases, the height of the interbody implant is greater in the deployed configuration than in the insertion configuration. Moreover, in some cases, the first surface is configured to conform to a topology of the first bony endplate, and the second surface is configured to conform to a topology of the second bony endplate.