Hard Tissue Anchors for Spinal Device Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional implantable medical devices, such as spinal cord stimulators, often experience migration and pull-out due to inadequate anchoring in soft tissue, which is distant from the treatment site and unstable.
Innovation Solution
The development of hard tissue anchors, including bone tacks and screws, that allow for secure attachment directly to bones or bony structures, reducing migration and pull-out by providing a stronger and more stable anchoring system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If soft tissue anchoring is used for implantable devices, then device placement is simplified, but device stability and resistance to migration deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system is divided into separate components: a delivery device with anchoring elements and a separate implantable medical device. This allows the anchoring function to be optimized independently from the therapeutic function, enabling stable bone anchoring while maintaining ease of device placement through the delivery system.
Solution Approach 2:
A delivery device acts as an intermediary tool to facilitate the anchoring process. The delivery device contains anchoring elements that can be positioned and deployed to secure the implantable medical device to bone, mediating between the simplicity of device placement and the stability of bone anchoring.
2Device complexity
If predetermined suture holes are provided on the device, then anchoring location is constrained, but device design simplicity is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring capability is moved from a two-dimensional constraint (predetermined holes on the device surface) to a three-dimensional solution (anchoring elements that can be positioned at various locations and orientations). This allows flexible anchoring locations while maintaining relatively simple device design, as the anchoring function is separated from the main device structure.
3Reliability
If anchoring tissue is placed far from the treatment site, then device anchoring is achieved, but migration resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring elements are designed to interact locally with bone tissue at the treatment site rather than relying on distant anchoring tissue. This local bone anchoring provides both stable anchoring achievement and effective migration resistance, as the anchoring force is applied directly at the point of treatment rather than at a remote location.
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
The use of hard tissue anchors stabilizes medical devices closer to the treatment site, reducing migration and pull-out, and enabling secure attachment without the need for sutures, facilitating percutaneous procedures with minimal surgical exposure.
Implementation Method 1
a penetrating end shaped for penetrating the hard tissue
Implementation Method 2
the head is adjustable to close the channel, such as by deformation of the head
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for anchoring medical devices to hard tissues, such as bones or bony structures, particularly vertebrae. By anchoring these medical devices directly to the surrounding hard tissue, the devices are anchored closer to the source of treatment. This provides additional stability and reduces migration of the device at the treatment site. Also, by attaching to hard tissue rather than soft tissue, a stronger attachment is often able to be made.