Expandable Inter-body Fusion Device with Longitudinal Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal implants have a fixed length and cannot adjust for varying anatomical spacing, which limits their ability to maintain proper spinal alignment and lordosis, leading to potential neurological impairment and increased surgical morbidity.
Innovation Solution
An expandable inter-body fusion device comprising two plates and an insert that can be moved longitudinally to increase or decrease the distance between the plates, allowing for adjustable expansion and volume increase, suitable for various spinal procedures such as OLIF, DLIF, PLIF, ALIF, and LLIF, facilitating minimally invasive surgery and bone fusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-length spinal implants are used, then the implant structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the implant cannot adjust for varying anatomical spacing, leading to poor spinal alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The implant transitions from a fixed-length structure to a dynamic, adjustable-length structure through an expandable mechanism. The insert can be moved longitudinally within the cavity to change the distance between first and second plates, allowing the implant to adapt to varying anatomical spacing requirements while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is positioned within the cavity formed by the first and second plates, creating a nested configuration. This allows the adjustable component (insert) to be contained within the main implant structure, enabling length adjustment without significantly increasing the external footprint or overall complexity of the implant.
2Ease of operation
If fixed-length implants are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but multiple insertion instrumentation is required to adjust expansion, increasing surgical complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is designed to be inserted in a compressed or collapsed state through a minimally invasive approach, and then expanded to the desired length after insertion. This preliminary compression allows the implant to pass through small incisions without requiring complex pre-adjustment instrumentation, simplifying the surgical procedure while maintaining adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable mechanism allows the implant to be dynamically adjusted after insertion by moving the insert longitudinally, eliminating the need for multiple pre-measured implant options or complex insertion instrumentation. The same basic instrument can be used to achieve different final lengths by adjusting the insert position.
3Length of moving object
If fixed-length implants are used, then the device design is straightforward, but the surgical incision size cannot be minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is nested within the cavity between the first and second plates, allowing the implant to be inserted in a compact configuration through a small surgical incision. After insertion, the insert can be moved to expand the implant to the required length, achieving both minimal incision size and implant length adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant transitions from a compact inserted state to an expanded final state, allowing it to pass through a small incision and then achieve its full functional length afterward. This dynamic transformation enables minimally invasive insertion while maintaining the ability to adjust implant length for proper spinal alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable inter-body fusion device is presented. The expandable 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.