Intervertebral Disc Prosthesis Shock Absorption

Solution Overview

Problem

Current intervertebral disc prostheses lack shock absorption capabilities, which can lead to increased stress and potential degeneration of adjacent spinal discs, and reduced mobility in patients.

Innovation Solution

The development of an intervertebral disc prosthesis with upper and lower plates that include resilient materials, such as polymers or hydrogels, between their outer and inner surfaces, along with resilient support members like springs or cylinders, to absorb forces applied by vertebrae, and a core with curved surfaces that allows for sliding movement while maintaining the core in place using retaining structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional fusion surgery is performed to treat disc-related pain, then pain relief is achieved, but patient mobility is reduced and stresses at adjacent spinal levels increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepain reliefVSAvoidpatient mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthesis is divided into separate components: upper and lower endplates that articulate with the vertebrae, and a central core that provides shock absorption. This segmentation allows the device to maintain spinal mobility at the treated level while providing pain relief, avoiding the fusion required in traditional surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The core of the prosthesis incorporates resilient or viscoelastic materials that provide shock absorption and cushioning forces before they can be transmitted to adjacent spinal levels. This beforehand cushioning prevents the increase in stresses at adjacent levels that occurs with fusion surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Ease of manufacture

If existing disc prostheses without shock absorption are used, then surgical simplicity is maintained, but stress on adjacent discs increases and mobility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical simplicityVSAvoidstress on adjacent discs

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The core incorporates resilient or viscoelastic materials that provide shock absorption and cushioning forces before they can be transmitted to adjacent spinal levels. This beforehand cushioning prevents the increase in stresses at adjacent levels that occurs with fusion surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The prosthesis combines different materials with complementary properties: hard endplates for structural support and articulation, and resilient or viscoelastic core materials for shock absorption. This composite construction provides both surgical simplicity and protection against stress transmission to adjacent discs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If resilient materials are added to plates of the prosthesis, then shock absorption is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshock absorptionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthesis combines different materials with complementary properties: hard endplates for structural support and articulation, and resilient or viscoelastic core materials for shock absorption. This composite construction provides both surgical simplicity and protection against stress transmission to adjacent discs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The core incorporates resilient or viscoelastic materials that provide shock absorption and cushioning forces before they can be transmitted to adjacent spinal levels. This beforehand cushioning prevents the increase in stresses at adjacent levels that occurs with fusion surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This design provides improved shock absorption, reducing stress on adjacent discs and maintaining spinal mobility by distributing forces effectively, thus addressing the limitations of existing prostheses.

Implementation Method 1

at least one of the upper and lower plates includes at least one resilient material disposed between the outer and inner surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

resilient support members like springs or cylinders, to absorb forces applied by vertebrae

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS8083797B2Intervertebral prosthetic disc with shock absorption

Publication Date: 2011.12.27 SIMPLIFY MEDICAL PTY LTD

AI summary

A prosthetic disc for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower plates and a core having upper and lower curved surfaces disposed between the plates. At least one of the plates and/or the core includes a resilient material for absorbing shock or other forces applied by vertebrae. Optionally, resilient support members may be disposed within the resilient material to connect two portions of a plate or the core. Such support members may be springs, cylinders, wires or other resilient structures. The resilient material is held within the core or plate(s) via a surrounding retaining structure, such as a membrane. The resilient material disposed in one or more components of the prosthetic disc provides for shock absorption.