Expandable Cervical Distraction Implant for Foraminal Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for cervical disc herniations, such as closed traction and anterior/posterior surgeries, are invasive and often lead to additional surgeries due to changes in neck biomechanics, with a 3% incidence of re-operation.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive surgical technique involving the implantation of an expandable cervical distraction device in the facet joint, which expands to increase the foraminal height and reduce pressure on cervical nerves and blood vessels, using a bio-inert hydrogel to maintain expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If anterior or posterior surgery is performed to treat cervical disc herniations, then radicular symptoms are relieved, but the procedure becomes invasive and requires spinal fusion which changes neck biomechanics and leads to re-operations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of spinal fusion (stabilization and symptom relief) while removing the invasive surgical approach. Instead of performing anterior or posterior fusion surgery, the device is delivered through a minimally invasive percutaneous approach, extracting the harmful invasive elements while preserving the beneficial therapeutic outcome.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable implant acts as an intermediary device that mediates between the conflicting requirements of symptom relief and minimal invasiveness. It provides the necessary stabilization and foraminal height increase to relieve radicular symptoms while being delivered through a minimally invasive approach, thus mediating between the two opposing demands.
2Reliability
If spinal fusion is performed to treat cervical disc herniations, then radicular symptoms are relieved, but additional surgeries occur due to changes in neck biomechanics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamics by using an expandable implant that can be adjusted intraoperatively to achieve optimal foraminal height and stabilization. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the device to adapt to individual patient anatomy and biomechanics, potentially improving long-term outcomes and reducing the need for revision surgeries compared to fixed fusion constructs.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant allows for parameter changes during the procedure - specifically, the expansion volume and final positioned height can be adjusted intraoperatively based on patient response and anatomical considerations. This parameter adjustability optimizes the therapeutic effect while preserving natural biomechanics, potentially reducing the incidence of adjacent segment disease and re-operations.
3Ease of operation
If closed traction is used to increase foraminal height, then radicular symptoms are alleviated, but the procedure does not provide permanent structural support
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the benefits of closed traction (minimally invasive approach, symptom relief) with the benefits of surgical intervention (permanent structural support). The device combines a minimally invasive delivery method with an implantable expandable structure that provides both immediate symptom relief through foraminal height increase and long-term permanent support through facet joint stabilization.
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
The technique effectively reduces radicular symptoms by increasing foraminal height, allowing for dynamic stabilization of the facet joint while preserving spinal mobility, and can be performed under conscious sedation with patient feedback.
Implementation Method 1
The implant of the present invention, when positioned in the cervical facet joint, expands to distract, or increase the space between, the vertebrae to increase the foraminal area or dimension
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for a minimally invasive surgical implantation to reduce radicular symptoms by inserting an expandable cervical distraction implant in the facet joint and distracting the adjacent cervical vertebrae to increase the foraminal dimension. The implant, when positioned in the cervical facet joint, expands to via delivery of an inflation medium to increase the space between the vertebrae, thereby increasing the foraminal area or dimension, and reducing pressure on the nerves and blood vessels of the cervical spine.