Autonomous Growing Rod Feedback Control to Reduce Repeat Surgeries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current growing rods for treating spinal deformities, such as MAGEC rods, require frequent medical interventions due to lack of tactile feedback, stiff or hyperkyphotic deformities, and the need for repeated surgeries, which can cause complications.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive growing rod system with a manually extendible design, featuring a fixed rod, an extendible rod, and a distraction unit with a drive gear mechanism, allowing for manual extension via an external driver through a small incision, and an optional autonomous system with real-time feedback for reduced surgical frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional growing rods are used, then spinal deformities can be treated, but frequent repeated surgeries are required causing complications
Solution Approach 1:
The growing rod system enables self-adjustment through a motorized extension mechanism that can be controlled externally via wireless communication. The system includes a motor, battery, and control circuit that allow the rod to extend automatically in response to growth forces, eliminating the need for repeated surgical interventions and reducing surgical complications while maintaining treatment effectiveness
2Adaptability or versatility
If MAGEC rods are used, then rod extension is possible, but lack of tactile feedback and need for frequent medical imaging reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The growing rod system incorporates sensors that detect growth forces and rod extension status, providing real-time feedback to the control circuit. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically adjust extension timing and magnitude, providing tactile feedback to clinicians and reducing the need for frequent medical imaging and manual adjustments
3Object-affected harmful factors
If manual extension through small incision is used, then surgical invasiveness is reduced, but device complexity increases due to drive gear mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The growing rod system replaces complex manual drive gear mechanisms with a motorized extension system controlled by wireless communication. The motor, powered by an integrated battery and controlled through wireless signals from external devices, eliminates the need for mechanical drive gears and manual intervention, reducing surgical invasiveness while managing device complexity through electronic control
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
Reduces the need for repeated surgeries by enabling manual or autonomous extension of the growing rod, minimizing complications and providing real-time feedback for precise adjustment, thus improving patient comfort and treatment efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
a drive gear mechanism housed within the housing and coupled to the rotatable drive interface and the extendible rod such that rotation of the rotatable drive interface causes linear movement of the extendible rod through the drive gear mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable growing rod assembly adapted to be secured along a length of a spine for treating deformities of the spine. The assembly includes a housing, a fixed rod extending along a longitudinal axis away from the housing, and an expansion rod extendible from the housing along the longitudinal axis. A driver assembly is fixed to the housing and adapted to translate the expansion rod along the longitudinal axis. Examples of the implantable growing rod assembly include a smart growing system, and an autonomous growing rod system.