Expandable Fusion Device Independent Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intervertebral fusion devices fail to independently adjust the lordotic angle and posterior height, which are crucial for restoring sagittal balance and disc height, respectively, during spinal fusion procedures.
Innovation Solution
An expandable fusion device with pivotally coupled endplates and a translation member assembly that includes anterior and posterior ramps, allowing for independent adjustment of anterior and posterior heights through actuation screws, enabling precise control of the lordotic angle and posterior height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fusion devices are used, then the device structure is simple, but the lordotic angle and posterior height cannot be adjusted independently
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional modules: a body portion with translation members for height adjustment, and endplates with pivot mechanisms for angle adjustment. This segmentation allows independent control of posterior height (via translation members) and lordotic angle (via pivot mechanisms), resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity by organizing complexity into manageable, independent segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms including translation members that can move anterior-posteriorly to change posterior height, and pivot mechanisms allowing endplates to rotate relative to the body portion to adjust lordotic angle. These dynamic elements enable the device to adapt to different anatomical requirements while maintaining structural integrity through controlled motion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fusion devices are used, then the device is easy to manufacture, but in-situ expansion capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The translation members are nested within the body portion, with anterior and posterior translation members positioned inside the device structure. This nesting allows the device to expand in-situ by deploying the nested translation members outward to increase posterior height, while maintaining a compact form factor during implantation that simplifies the overall manufacturing and insertion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is pre-configured with translation members and pivot mechanisms in a compressed state during manufacturing, allowing for controlled expansion after implantation. The preliminary arrangement of these components enables straightforward manufacturing of the compact implant while preserving the capability for in-situ expansion to achieve the desired posterior height and lordotic angle.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an expandable fusion device capable of being inserted between adjacent vertebrae to facilitate the fusion process. A method of installing an expandable fusion device may comprise introducing the expandable fusion device into an intervertebral space, wherein the expandable fusion device comprises a proximal end, a distal end, an anterior side connecting the proximal end and the distal end, and a posterior side connecting the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the expandable fusion device has an anterior height on the anterior side and a posterior height on the posterior side. The method may further comprise adjusting the anterior height of the expandable fusion device independently from adjustment of the posterior height. The method may further comprise adjusting the posterior height of the expandable fusion device.