Expandable Spinous Process Fixation with Lordotic Plates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices fail to provide effective structural stability and supplemental fusion for adjacent vertebrae to treat conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, trauma, and tumors, while minimizing damage to the spinous processes.
Innovation Solution
An implantable device with an expandable central barrel and lordotic plates, featuring projections that engage the spinous processes, allows for distraction and immobilization, and includes a mechanism to angulate and lock into position, providing structural support and graft packing areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional fusion devices are used to provide structural stability and supplemental fusion, then vertebral support is achieved, but damage to the spinous processes occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the fixation function into two separate components: the central barrel engages with the spinous processes to provide distraction and stabilization, while the lordotic plates engage with the vertebral bodies for structural support. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without causing damage to the spinous processes, as the plates bear the primary load rather than the spinous process engagement features
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable central barrel acts as an intermediary mechanism between the lordotic plates and the spinous processes. It provides distraction and stabilization through controlled expansion within the interspinous space, eliminating the need for direct rigid fixation to the spinous processes that would cause damage, while still achieving the desired structural stability
2Length of moving object
If the barrel is expanded from collapsed form to expanded form to provide distraction, then vertebral spacing is increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrel is designed with dynamic expandability, transitioning from a collapsed state for minimally invasive insertion to an expanded state for optimal distraction and stabilization. This dynamic feature allows the device to adapt to the patient's anatomy and provide the necessary distraction while maintaining a simple insertion profile, balancing the need for adjustability with surgical simplicity
3Reliability
If the device is customized to conform to patient anatomy, then fusion stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lordotic plates are designed with specific anatomical contours that match the natural curvature of the spine at different levels. This local customization of the plate geometry allows the device to conform to patient-specific anatomy and achieve optimal fusion stability, while the modular design enables these customized features to be manufactured using standard processes rather than requiring custom fabrication for each patient
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable device may comprise a barrel, the barrel having an upper portion and a lower portion. The barrel may be configured to transition from a collapsed form having a first height to an expanded form having a second height and wherein the second height is greater than the first height. The implantable device may further include an actuator assembly disposed in the barrel, the actuator assembly comprising a front ramped actuator in engagement with the barrel, a rear ramped actuator in engagement with the barrel, and a central screw that extends from the rear ramped actuator through the front ramped actuator. The implantable device may further comprise a first plate and a second plate.