Expandable Spinal Implant with Angled Anchoring and Control Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal implants, such as interbody and intravertebral devices, lack the ability to dynamically adjust and expand within the spinal column, limiting their adaptability and stability in providing support and promoting bone growth across varying anatomical conditions.
Innovation Solution
An expandable implant design featuring a control assembly with a front and rear component and a control member that allows for relative movement between upper and lower supports, enabling the implant to transition from a collapsed to an expanded position, securely anchored to adjacent vertebrae using anchoring members, and facilitating bone graft growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fixed spinal implants are used, then the implant structure is simple and easy to install, but the implant lacks adaptability to varying anatomical conditions and cannot provide dynamic support
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates an expandable structure with movable components including an upper support, lower support, and control member that enables the implant to transition between collapsed and expanded states. This dynamic design allows the implant to adapt to varying anatomical conditions and provide customized support while maintaining structural integrity through controlled mechanical movement.
2Reliability
If expandable implant structure is used, then the implant provides customized fit and enhanced stability, but the implant structure becomes more complex with additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into distinct functional segments including an upper support with upper plate, a lower support with lower plate, and a control member with head and shaft. Each segment performs a specific function and can be independently controlled, allowing for reliable expansion and stabilization while managing complexity through modular functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
The control member with head and shaft provides controlled mechanical movement between the upper and lower supports, enabling reliable expansion to achieve customized fit and enhanced stability. The dynamic control mechanism allows precise adjustment of implant configuration while maintaining structural integrity throughout the expansion process.
3Strength
If the implant is expanded after insertion, then the implant provides better support and promotes bone fusion, but the installation process becomes more complex requiring control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The implant provides enhanced support capability through controlled expansion after insertion. The control member with head and shaft enables mechanical movement between upper and lower supports, allowing the implant to transition from a collapsed to an expanded state that optimizes bone contact surface area and promotes fusion while providing adjustable structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant utilizes vertical expansion to increase support capability. By expanding in the vertical dimension between upper and lower supports, the implant increases its height and surface area for bone contact, thereby enhancing support capability and promoting bone fusion without requiring additional lateral or longitudinal components.
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable implant includes an upper plate configured to receive a first anchoring member, the upper support comprising a first end, a second end, a first side extending between the first end and the second end, the upper plate configured to receive the first anchoring member such that a first center-line trajectory of the first anchoring member is angled toward the first side. The implant further comprising a lower support coupled to the upper support, the lower support comprising a lower plate configured to receive a second anchoring member such that a second center-line trajectory of the second anchoring member is angled towards the first side. The implant further comprising a control member configured to control relative movement between the upper support and the lower support.