Contracted Spinal Implant Deployment for Minimally Invasive Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal surgical methods and instrumentation are limited by the bulkiness and cumbersome nature of existing tools and implants, which hinder visualization and maneuverability within the limited surgical space, particularly in minimally invasive spine surgery.
Innovation Solution
The development of surgical instrumentation and spinal implants that can be positioned in a contracted condition and expanded within the vertebral space, featuring a gripping mechanism and deployment mechanism to facilitate precise placement and adjustment, allowing for a larger footprint compatible with both minimally invasive and more invasive surgical techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional spinal implants and surgical tools are used, then the implant provides sufficient structural support, but the implant and tools are bulky and cumbersome, reducing surgeon visualization and maneuverability within the limited surgical space
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal implant is divided into multiple segments or struts that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the implant to be inserted in a compact configuration and then expanded within the vertebral space, reducing the initial insertion volume while maintaining final structural support capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical instrumentation system employs nested components where smaller tools and the compressed implant fit within larger delivery devices. The implant itself may have nested struts or components that allow compact packaging for minimally invasive insertion while providing adequate expansion capacity for final implantation.
2Force
If traditional spinal surgical instrumentation is used, then the tools can provide sufficient force for implant placement, but the tools are cumbersome and difficult to maneuver within the limited surgical space
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical tools incorporate dynamic, articulated joints that allow the instrumentation to adapt its configuration based on the surgical environment. This enables the tools to deliver high impact forces for implant placement while maintaining maneuverability through flexible, multi-axis movement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical instrumentation utilizes multi-dimensional movement capabilities, allowing tools to access the surgical site through minimally invasive incisions while delivering forces in multiple directions. The articulated arms and joints enable force application along vectors that would be inaccessible with traditional rigid instruments.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive surgical techniques are used, then tissue trauma is reduced, but the surgical space is limited making it difficult to position and deploy implants
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is pre-compressed or pre-configured in a compact state that allows it to be delivered through minimally invasive incisions. The surgical instrumentation is also prepared in advance with articulated components that can navigate through small access points while maintaining the capability to deploy the implant in its full functional configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Both the implant and surgical tools incorporate dynamic elements that allow transition between compact delivery configurations and expanded functional configurations. This enables minimally invasive insertion followed by in-situ deployment to the final implantation state.
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical instrumentation may be used to insert a spinal implant into a vertebral space while in a contracted condition and then deploy the spinal implant into an expanded condition.