Expandable Spinal Access Device for Minimally Invasive Fixation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional spinal surgery techniques cause significant trauma, scarring, pain, and prolonged recovery due to large incisions and muscle stripping, with risks of nerve injury and high blood loss, necessitating the development of less invasive methods to access and treat the spine effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of expandable access devices with channels and laterally facing openings to facilitate minimally invasive spinal procedures, allowing for percutaneous insertion and expansion within the body to reduce tissue trauma and enable precise placement of spinal fixation elements without extensive muscle dissection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical procedures are used to access the spine, then the surgeon can perform spinal procedures, but significant tissue trauma, scarring, pain, and blood loss occur
Solution Approach 1:
The access device is divided into multiple functional segments: an elongate body for insertion, an expandable distal portion for stabilization, and channels/cutouts for fixation element passage. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function while minimizing overall tissue disruption compared to traditional open surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixation element is inserted through the access device itself, with the access device acting as a guide and protective sheath. The channels and cutouts in the distal portion allow the fixation element to pass through while the expandable distal portion provides a stable base, nesting the fixation element within the access device structure during insertion.
2Ease of operation
If large incisions and muscle stripping are made to access the spine, then the vertebrae can be accessed, but recovery time is extended and pain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access device serves as an intermediary tool that provides a controlled pathway to the vertebrae without requiring direct exposure through large incisions. The expandable distal portion acts as a mediator between the external insertion point and the internal spinal structures, stabilizing the device while protecting surrounding tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The access device utilizes a thin-walled elongate body that can be inserted through small incisions. The expandable distal portion transitions from a compact insertion profile to an expanded working profile, allowing minimal initial tissue disruption while providing sufficient stability for the procedure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive techniques are used to access the spine, then tissue trauma is reduced, but the complexity of the access device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distal portion of the access device is designed to be expandable, transitioning from a compact configuration for insertion to an expanded configuration for stabilization. This dynamic feature allows the device to adapt its size and stability requirements, providing enhanced anchoring without requiring a larger initial incision.
Solution Approach 2:
The access device integrates multiple functions into a single instrument: it provides the insertion pathway, serves as a stabilizing anchor through its expandable distal portion, and acts as a guide for fixation element placement through its channels and cutouts. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate instruments.
4Reliability
If traditional surgical approaches are used, then spinal procedures can be performed, but nerve tissue injury risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access device extracts only the minimal necessary tissue pathway required for reaching the vertebrae, avoiding the need to cut or strip large amounts of muscle tissue. The percutaneous insertion approach removes the harmful element of extensive soft tissue dissection while maintaining the ability to reach the spinal structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods suitable for use with procedures performed at least partially percutaneously are provided. In some procedures, two or more access devices for providing access to adjacent surgical locations within a patient are used. Certain embodiments of the access device comprise an elongate body having a distal end with one or more cutouts. The cutouts on adjacent access devices are generally aligned with each other to permit passage of a portion of a fixation element from one access device to the other access device. A fastener with an elongated removable head may be delivered to the surgical site through the access device. After a distal end of the fastener is secured to the surgical site, a portion of the elongated housing is detached from the remainder of the fastener and removed from the patient.