Dual-Motion Spinal Retraction System for Minimizing Muscle Damage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lateral surgical approaches to the spine, such as the lateral retractor system, often result in significant muscle damage and nerve trauma due to the dilation and retraction processes, leading to complications like muscle atrophy, nerve injury, and prolonged pain, with current neuromonitoring methods being inadequate for real-time, continuous monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A dual-motion rotation and retraction system with a conductive dilator and retractable blades that incorporate continuous, 360-degree neuromonitoring capabilities, allowing for real-time assessment of nerve structures and minimizing muscle and nerve damage through a more controlled and precise surgical pathway creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a lateral surgical approach is used to access the spine, then the surgical pathway can be created, but significant muscle damage and nerve trauma occur due to dilation and retraction processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous neuromonitoring during the surgical procedure to provide real-time feedback on nerve structure status. This allows the surgeon to adjust the retraction and dilation process to minimize nerve trauma and muscle damage while maintaining surgical access.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor system employs dynamic, controlled motion rather than static retraction. The system allows for adjustable retraction forces and continuous movement control to minimize tissue damage while maintaining the surgical pathway.
2Reliability
If traditional neuromonitoring methods are used, then some nerve monitoring is provided, but real-time continuous monitoring is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous neuromonitoring throughout the entire surgical procedure, providing uninterrupted real-time feedback on nerve structure status. This eliminates gaps in monitoring coverage and ensures constant protection of nerve structures during all surgical phases.
3Productivity
If aggressive retraction is applied to create surgical access, then the surgical pathway is established, but muscle atrophy and prolonged pain result
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary protective measures by continuously monitoring nerve structures before and during retraction. This allows for preventive adjustment of retraction forces to avoid muscle damage and subsequent atrophy while still achieving surgical access.
Data Source
AI summary
A dual-motion rotation and retraction system for forming a pathway to a patient's intervertebral disc space includes a dilator, retractable dual-blade assembly, and dual-motion retractor. The dilator may feature a narrow rectangular, elliptical, or elongated configuration body for insertion parallel to the fibers of the psoas muscle, including an angle of 0 to 90 degrees to the patient's spine. The dual-blade assembly includes opposing blade subassemblies, each having a blade bordered by adjustable wings, along with built-in lighting and video capabilities. The dual-blade assembly may be passed over the dilator at the insertion orientation. The dual-motion retractor may be disposed about the dual-blade assembly and dilator and employed to both rotate the dual-blade assembly and the dilator 0 to 90 degrees to a final rotated orientation parallel to the intervertebral disc space and to retract the opposing blade subassemblies away from one another to create the surgical pathway. Other embodiments are also disclosed.