Expandable Corpectomy Cage with Ratcheting Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical implants for replacing bone structures, such as vertebrae or long bones, often require larger incisions and may not effectively distribute loading or facilitate vascularization and bone growth, limiting their clinical effectiveness in corpectomy procedures and other bone replacement surgeries.
Innovation Solution
An expandable medical implant design featuring interlocking teeth and elastically deformable members that adjust in height along a longitudinal axis, with a locking mechanism to secure the implant in place, allowing for smaller incisions and enhanced fixation, loading distribution, and vascularization through modular end plates and hollow sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a traditional non-expandable implant is used to replace vertebrae, then the implant provides structural support, but it requires a larger incision and does not allow for effective loading distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The implant consists of an inner member nested within an outer member, allowing the implant to be inserted in a collapsed state through a smaller incision. The inner member includes engagement features that interact with the outer member to provide structural support when expanded.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant transitions from a static, fixed-size design to a dynamic, expandable structure. The outer member is elastically deformable, allowing the implant to expand after insertion to achieve the desired height and provide structural support while maintaining access through a smaller incision.
2Length of moving object
If an expandable implant is used to reduce incision size, then smaller incisions are possible, but the implant may not effectively distribute loading across vertebral endplates
Solution Approach 1:
The end plates are designed with specific local features including protrusions and recesses that enhance loading distribution. The outer member includes an end plate with protrusions that engage with recesses in the vertebral body, while the inner member has complementary engagement features, creating localized stress distribution points.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into segmented components (inner member, outer member, end plates) that can independently engage with bone structures. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for specific loading paths and distribution patterns across the vertebral endplates.
3Strength
If a solid implant structure is used for structural support, then strength is provided, but vascularization and bone growth are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The outer member includes a hollow section that can be filled with bone graft material or allow for vascular infiltration. This hollow space promotes bone growth and vascularization while the surrounding solid structure maintains mechanical strength and structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant structure is segmented to create internal cavities and hollow sections within the solid framework. These voids provide pathways for blood vessels and bone ingrowth while the segmented solid structure maintains overall mechanical integrity.
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 expandable implant provides secure bone structure support, allows for smaller incisions, and promotes bone growth and vascularization, improving the stability and integration of the implant with surrounding bone tissue.
Implementation Method 1
One of the first and second main bodies may include a plurality of teeth and the other of the first and second main bodies may include at least one tooth. At least a portion of one of the first and second main bodies may be elastically deformable to selectively engage and disengage the at least one tooth and the plurality of teeth.
Data Source
AI summary
Expandable medical implants for supporting bone structures may include a first member and a second member. The second member may be configured to receive the first member and may be moveable along the longitudinal axis relative to the first member. One of the first and second members may include a plurality of teeth and the other of the first and second members may include at least one tooth. At least a portion of one of the first and second main bodies may be elastically deformable to selectively engage and disengage the at least one tooth and the plurality of teeth. At least one tooth and the plurality of teeth may be shaped to deform the elastically deformable portion when both increasing and when decreasing the overall implant height by moving the second member relative to the first member along the longitudinal axis.