Electrical Bone Growth Stimulator for Spinal Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical treatments for spinal disorders often fail to adequately address deformity, pain, and mobility issues due to limitations in fusion and fixation techniques, particularly in enhancing bone growth and stability without relying on harmful radiation.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system incorporating an electrical bone growth stimulator implant with electronic components that generate an electric field to stimulate bone growth, including diagnostic sensors and remote power options, integrated with bone growth promoting materials to enhance fusion and reduce radiation exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fusion and fixation techniques are used for spinal disorders, then surgical treatment can be provided, but bone growth stimulation is insufficient and harmful radiation may be required for monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical fixation and monitoring systems with an electrical stimulation system. Electrical bone growth stimulators generate electrical fields to stimulate bone growth, eliminating the need for harmful radiation-based monitoring methods while providing reliable bone growth stimulation for spinal fusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the monitoring parameter from radiation-based imaging to electrical field-based detection. By using electrical fields to both stimulate bone growth and monitor the fusion process, the system eliminates radiation exposure while maintaining reliable assessment of bone growth progression.
2Reliability
If electrical bone growth stimulators with electronic components are integrated into the implant, then bone growth stimulation and diagnostic monitoring are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated implant device. The electrical bone growth stimulator and diagnostic sensors are combined within the same implant structure, allowing simultaneous bone growth stimulation and monitoring without requiring separate devices, thereby managing complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a bone growth stimulator and a diagnostic monitoring device. The electronic components perform dual roles: generating electrical fields for bone stimulation and detecting diagnostic signals for monitoring fusion progression, reducing the need for multiple separate components.
3Ease of operation
If remote power options using telemetry are implemented, then implant power supply is improved without surgery, but energy transmission requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The implant system enables self-service power management through remote telemetry. The device can receive power wirelessly through the skin without requiring surgical intervention, allowing patients to adjust power settings and receive energy supplementation conveniently while minimizing the energy burden through efficient wireless power transfer.
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal implant system includes bone growth promoting material, and an electrical bone growth stimulator. The electrical bone growth stimulator includes a mesh that surrounds at least a portion of the bone growth material, and the electrical bone growth stimulator is configured to conduct an electric current to stimulate tissue growth adjacent to the electrical bone growth stimulator.