Expandable Inter-body Fusion Device with Adjustable Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal implants lack adjustability and expandability, making it difficult to maintain proper anatomic spacing and lordosis during spinal surgery, which can lead to neurologic impairment and increased patient morbidity.
Innovation Solution
An expandable inter-body fusion device with adjustable height and angle, comprising a first and second plate and an insert, allowing for longitudinal movement to increase distance and volume, and adjustable angle between the plates, facilitating precise positioning and bone fusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-length spinal implant is used, then the implant structure is simple, but the ability to adjust anatomic spacing and lordosis is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple segments including an insert, upper body, and lower body that can move relative to each other. The insert can be positioned at different heights along the longitudinal axis, allowing independent adjustment of spacing and lordosis angles without requiring a completely complex multi-component system.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant transitions from a static fixed-length structure to a dynamic adjustable structure. The insert can be repositioned longitudinally within the upper and lower bodies, enabling the implant to adapt to different anatomic requirements while maintaining structural integrity through controlled movement.
2Ease of operation
If a fixed-size implant is inserted in unexpanded position, then the surgical incision size is minimized, but the ability to adjust expansion post-insertion is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is designed to be inserted in a compact unexpanded configuration to minimize incision size, then can be expanded post-insertion by repositioning the insert longitudinally. This dynamic transformation allows the implant to provide both ease of insertion and post-operative adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is prepared in a compressed state before insertion, allowing it to pass through a small incision. After insertion, the implant is expanded to its functional size, separating the insertion phase from the expansion phase to optimize both surgical ease and final implant functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple insertion instrumentation is used to adjust expansion, then the expandability is achieved, but the procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism is extracted and integrated directly into the implant structure itself. The insert can be repositioned using the implant's own internal geometry and features, eliminating the need for complex external adjustment instrumentation while maintaining full expandability functionality.
4Reliability
If the implant cannot be adjusted, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to maintain proper anatomic spacing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is segmented into movable components that can be independently positioned. The insert can be adjusted to different heights and angles, allowing precise control of anatomic spacing and lordosis while maintaining overall structural simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant allows changes in geometric parameters such as height, spacing, and lordosis angle through longitudinal repositioning of the insert. This enables the implant to adapt to different anatomic requirements by changing its physical parameters rather than requiring a completely different device for each scenario.
Data Source
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AI summary
An expandable, adjustable inter-body fusion device is presented. The inter-body fusion device can have a first plate, a second plate, and an insert positioned substantially therebetween the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, and the insert define an interior cavity. Moving the insert longitudinally with respect to the first and second plates increases or decreases the distance of the first plate with respect to the second plate, effectively expanding the inter-body fusion device and increasing the volume of the interior cavity. The angle between the first plate and the second plate is selectively adjustable.