Intervertebral Implant Positioning Grooves for Placement and Retention

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spinal fusion implants often fail due to slippage, breakage, or improper fit, leading to hardware failures and complications during lumbar or cervical spinal fusion procedures.

Innovation Solution

Intervertebral implants with superior and inferior positioning grooves that engage with corresponding positioning rails, allowing for easier placement and improved retention, combined with textured surfaces for enhanced stability and stabilization means like bone screws or blades.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional spinal fusion implants are used, then the procedure can be performed with standard hardware, but the implants are prone to slippage, breakage, and improper fit leading to hardware failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant stabilityVSAvoidplacement difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Positioning rails act as intermediary components that facilitate the placement of the implant into the intervertebral space. The rails engage with the positioning grooves on the implant, guiding it into proper position while being held by the distractor, thereby simplifying the surgical placement process and reducing the risk of improper fit

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The distractor is used to preliminarily hold the positioning rails in place within the intervertebral space before the implant is fully inserted. This preliminary action secures the positioning structure in advance, ensuring proper alignment and reducing the risk of slippage during the subsequent implantation steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If implants without positioning features are used, then the device structure remains simple, but the implants are prone to slippage and relocation after implantation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant retentionVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The implant is segmented with distinct positioning grooves on its superior and inferior surfaces that engage with corresponding positioning rails. This segmentation creates dedicated interfaces for stabilization without significantly complicating the overall implant structure, as the grooves are integrated features rather than separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning grooves are specifically configured with asymmetric orientations on the superior and inferior surfaces of the implant. This asymmetric design ensures proper alignment and prevents rotation or slippage of the implant, enhancing retention while maintaining structural efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS20250255724A1Intervertebral implants having positioning grooves and kits and methods of use thereof

Publication Date: 2025.08.14 CHOUDHRI HAROON FIAZ

AI summary

Spinal implants, spinal implant systems, and methods for inserting spinal implants are provided. The implants can be implanted in an intervertebral space between adjacent superior and inferior vertebrae. The implant includes a superior implant surface having one or more superior positioning grooves configured to receive a corresponding superior positioning rail and an inferior implant surface having one or more inferior positioning grooves configured to receive a corresponding inferior positioning rail when the implant is implanted in the intervertebral space. Positioning tools for positioning the implants are also provided.