Expandable Intervertebral Tissue Removal System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical methods for addressing spinal issues, such as herniated disks, are invasive and require extensive recovery time, with minimally invasive devices often expelling interdiskal devices due to inadequate tissue clearance.
Innovation Solution
An intervertebral tissue removal system featuring an abrading member and an expandable member that expands to increase volume, allowing the abrading member to move and loosen tissue, creating a larger cavity through a small entry point, and includes a method for removing loosened tissue using aspiration fluid and drainage conduits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive surgical procedures are used to remove intervertebral tissue, then recovery time is reduced and trauma is minimized, but the cavity formed is insufficient in volume leading to device expulsion
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable member transitions from a compressed delivery state to an expanded deployed state, dynamically changing the cavity volume. This allows the system to start with a small profile for minimally invasive insertion, then expand to create adequate cavity volume for device reception, resolving the contradiction between small entry point and large cavity volume
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable member is nested within a delivery catheter during insertion, allowing the entire assembly to pass through a small puncture site. Once positioned, the expandable member deploys from its nested state to create a larger cavity, effectively nesting a large-volume structure within a small delivery profile
2Quantity of substance
If traditional surgical methods are used to access and remove spinal tissue, then adequate tissue clearance is achieved, but the procedure becomes highly invasive with extended recovery time
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable member is inflated using fluid pressure delivered through the catheter, eliminating the need for large surgical incisions. The hydraulic expansion mechanism allows adequate tissue clearance to be achieved through a minimally invasive approach, reducing recovery time while maintaining effective tissue removal
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a small entry point is used for minimally invasive surgery, then surgical trauma is reduced, but the ability to create a large cavity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable member dynamically transitions from a compressed state during delivery to an expanded state during deployment, allowing the system to pass through a small puncture site and then create a large cavity volume, effectively resolving the contradiction between small entry point and large cavity volume
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 system enables minimally invasive, safe, and efficient loosening and removal of spinal tissue, reducing recovery time and the risk of device expulsion by creating a larger cavity through a small entry point, facilitating effective tissue clearance and removal.
Implementation Method 1
at least one expandable member operable to be expanded from a first condition to a second condition, wherein the volume defined by the at least one expandable member in the second condition is greater than the volume defined by the at least one expandable member in the first condition
Implementation Method 2
at least one abrading member for abrading tissue in an area to be cleared
Implementation Method 3
the at least one expandable member operably connected to the at least one abrading member such that as the at least one expandable member expands from the first condition to the second condition, the at least one abrading member is moved from a first position to a second position
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manipulating intervertebral tissue in one embodiment includes inserting at least one abrading member for abrading tissue into an area to be cleared, expanding at least one expandable member from a first condition to a second condition, wherein the volume defined by the at least one expandable member in the second condition is greater than the volume defined by the at least one expandable member in the first condition, moving the inserted at least one abrading member from a first position to a second position by the expansion of the at least one expandable member, manipulating the inserted at least one abrading member to loosen tissue, and removing the loosened tissue from the area to be cleared.