Corpectomy Cage Interchangeable End Caps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current corpectomy cages face challenges in accurately tailoring height and lordotic angles to individual patient anatomy and surgical needs, with fixed height cages being difficult to place and wasting materials, while expandable cages are costly and prone to mechanical failure, and adjustable angle cages are complex and risky post-operatively.
Innovation Solution
A corpectomy cage design featuring a hollow rectangular prism main body with interchangeable end caps that can be removably engaged to adjust height and lordotic angles, providing structural integrity and flexibility for precise anatomical fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a fixed height cage is used, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in placement and material waste
Solution Approach 1:
The cage is divided into a main body and interchangeable end caps that can be selectively attached to achieve different heights. This segmentation allows the surgeon to start with a base cage and add only the necessary height through end caps, avoiding the need to handle multiple complete fixed-height cages and reducing material waste while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cage system transitions from a static fixed-height design to a dynamic adjustable-height design through interchangeable end caps. This allows the cage height to be adapted during surgery based on the actual cavity dimensions, improving ease of placement while the main body remains structurally sound.
2Ease of operation
If an expandable cage is used, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a single expandable structure with complex internal mechanisms, the invention segments the height adjustment function into separate interchangeable end caps. This eliminates the need for telescoping members, expansion mechanisms, and locking systems within a single cage, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The interchangeable end caps are designed as simple, disposable components that are attached and left in place permanently. This approach replaces complex, potentially failure-prone expandable mechanisms with simple, reliable attachments that eliminate mechanical failure risks while maintaining ease of placement.
3Strength
If fixed angle attachments are used, then structural integrity is improved, but adaptability deteriorates due to limited angle options
Solution Approach 1:
The lordotic angle adjustment function is segmented into interchangeable end caps, each with a specific predetermined angle. This allows the surgeon to select the appropriate angle attachment based on patient anatomy and surgical needs, providing adaptability while each individual attachment maintains structural integrity through its simple, secure design.
Solution Approach 2:
The main body of the cage is designed with universal attachment features that can accommodate multiple different end cap configurations. This universality allows a single main body to work with various angle attachments, providing adaptability for different lordotic angle requirements while maintaining structural stability through the consistent main body design.
4Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable angle mechanisms are used, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The angle adjustment function is segmented into separate interchangeable end caps rather than being integrated into a complex adjustable mechanism. This segmentation eliminates the need for rotation joints, locking mechanisms, or adjustment screws within the cage structure, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining lordotic angle adaptability through selective attachment of different angled caps.
Solution Approach 2:
The angled end caps are designed as simple, disposable attachments that are secured permanently during surgery. This approach replaces complex, potentially failure-prone adjustable mechanisms with simple, reliable fixed-angle attachments, improving reliability while maintaining adaptability through the availability of multiple angle options.
Data Source
AI summary
A corpectomy cage includes a main body, a first end cap, and a second end cap. The main body is shaped as a hollow rectangular prism, and includes a first end and a second end. The first end has a plurality of first receivers formed therein, and the second end has a plurality of second receivers formed therein. The first end cap includes a plurality of first legs configured to be received within respective first receivers to removably engage the first end cap with the first end of the main body. Similarly, the second end cap includes a plurality of second legs configured to be received within respective second receivers to removably engage the second end cap with the second end of the main body. Each of the end caps further includes a plurality of teeth arranged opposite the plurality of legs.