Expandable Interbody Implant for Multi-Directional Spinal Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interbody implants lack the ability to expand in multiple anatomical directions, limiting their adaptability and effectiveness in surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An expandable interbody implant design featuring a distal and proximal cage connected by a drive screw, with top and bottom expandable assemblies and pivots, allowing expansion in medial-lateral, lordotic, and cranial-caudal directions through a series of ramps and endplates, facilitated by a translation mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing interbody implants are used, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the implant cannot expand in multiple anatomical directions, limiting adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple independent expandable assemblies (first and second expandable assemblies) that can expand in different directions. Each assembly contains its own endplates, pivots, and locking mechanisms, allowing independent multi-directional expansion while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one through the inclusion of expandable assemblies with movable components. The endplates can slide along guides, pivots can rotate, and locking mechanisms can engage and disengage, enabling the implant to adapt its shape and size in multiple directions during surgical installation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed interbody implant is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate diverse spinal anatomies
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is delivered in a compressed or collapsed state through the spinal canal, and then expanded in situ to the desired configuration. The expandable assemblies are pre-loaded in a compact form factor, allowing easy insertion followed by intraoperative expansion to match the specific spinal anatomy of each patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant design incorporates universal expandable assemblies that can be configured to accommodate various spinal anatomies and pathologies. The same basic assembly structure can be expanded in different directions and degrees to fit diverse patient requirements, making a single implant design suitable for multiple surgical scenarios.
3Adaptability or versatility
If expandable assemblies with multiple pivots and endplates are used, then multi-directional expansion is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional components are merged into integrated assemblies. For example, the endplates incorporate both the expansion guidance structure and the locking mechanism interface. The pivots are designed to simultaneously provide rotation capability and serve as attachment points for multiple endplates, reducing the total number of separate parts while maintaining multi-directional expansion functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
In various aspects, an expandable implant for use in a surgical procedure includes a distal cage, a proximal cage mechanically connectable with the distal cage, a top expandable assembly, and a bottom expandable assembly. Each of the top and bottom expandable assemblies have a distal portion in communication with a surface of the distal cage and a proximal portion in communication with a surface of the proximal cage. The expandable implant is expandable firstly in a medial-lateral direction, secondly in a lordotic (e.g., angular) direction, and thirdly a cranial-caudal direction. Additionally, the expandable implant may be diagonally symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the expandable implant.