Expandable Joint Spacer with Threaded Control Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical solutions for damaged or deteriorated biological joints, such as inter-vertebrae discs, hips, and shoulders, often result in reduced mobility and additional surgical procedures due to limitations in expandability and support across non-parallel joint surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A surgically implantable spacer comprising a central disc replacement saddle member, expansion control arm members, and a threaded control member that can expand to support joints with varying spans, allowing for adjustable positioning and locking across elongated lengths, including non-parallel surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a joint is fused to provide stability and support, then the joint stability is improved, but the mobility of the individual is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is designed as an expandable device that can dynamically adjust between a compressed state (for insertion) and an expanded state (for providing support while maintaining motion). The expansion control arm members allow the spacer to be adjusted to different lengths, providing both stability and preserved mobility unlike permanent fusion
2Manufacturing precision
If a fixed-length spacer is used to support a joint, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to joints with differing spans is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer incorporates expansion control arm members with pivot points that allow the device to be adjusted to different lengths after implantation. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the same manufactured component to adapt to various joint spans and configurations, including non-parallel surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is divided into modular components including central disc replacement saddle members and expansion control arm members that can be independently manufactured with high precision, then assembled and adjusted to match specific patient anatomy
3Device complexity
If a simple rigid spacer is used to maintain joint alignment, then the device complexity is reduced, but the capability to accommodate non-parallel joint surfaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion control arm members function as adjustable struts that can be pivoted and extended to match the specific angle and spacing of non-parallel joint surfaces. This dynamic adjustment maintains relatively simple device geometry while achieving complex adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer design allows for asymmetric configuration of the expansion control arm members, enabling adaptation to non-parallel surfaces where the proximal and distal ends require different angular orientations and lengths
Data Source
AI summary
A surgically implantable spacer including an upper and lower saddle member. Each of a proximal end and a distal end of the saddle members are hingeably assembled to respective upper and lower control arm members. The upper and lower control arm members pivot about a respective proximal and distal pivot member. Spacing between the proximal and distal pivot members is controlled by a control member. The control member is preferably threaded. As the pivot members are drawn together by the control member, the upper and lower saddle members separate from one another. Once one end of each of the upper and lower saddle members contacts the surface of the joint, the other end of each of the upper and lower saddle member can continue to separate until complete contact and sufficient support is provided to the opposing surfaces of the joint.