Hinged Spinal Implant Balloon Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spinal disc implants either provide stability at the cost of mobility or mobility at the cost of stability, and most require major open surgery for insertion, which is invasive and detrimental to patients.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive spinal implant composed of hinged sections and a balloon that changes configuration from a linear delivery shape to a curved placement shape, using a support strip and shape memory materials to maintain stability and flexibility, allowing for insertion through a small incision and expansion within the disc space to provide support and mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If fusion cages are used to provide stability between vertebrae, then stability is improved, but mobility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal implant uses hinged sections that can dynamically adjust between a linear delivery configuration and a curved placement configuration. The hinged connection allows the sections to move relative to each other, providing dynamic adaptability that maintains both stability and mobility - the implant is stable when needed but can adapt its shape to accommodate vertebral motion
2Stability of the object's composition
If major open surgery is performed for implant insertion, then implant stability is ensured, but surgical trauma and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple hinged sections that can be collapsed into a compact linear configuration for minimally invasive insertion through small incisions. Once positioned in the disc space, the sections expand to their curved configuration to provide stable support. This segmentation allows the implant to be inserted through minimal trauma while still achieving stable fixation
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is pre-configured with hinged sections that can be collapsed into a delivery configuration suitable for minimally invasive insertion. The hinged mechanism is designed in advance to automatically transition from the linear delivery configuration to the curved placement configuration once deployed, ensuring both easy insertion and stable fixation without requiring major surgery
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 implant achieves a balance between stability and mobility while minimizing surgical trauma by enabling minimally invasive insertion and adjustment to accommodate vertebral loads, reducing recovery time and pain.
Implementation Method 1
In the embodiment wherein a support strip is provided of shape memory material, the support strip can move the hinged sections to the curved configuration
Implementation Method 2
expanding the balloon to maintain the hinged sections in a substantially horseshoe shaped configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal implant having a series of sections or units hinged together and a balloon connected to at least some of the sections, the balloon having a curved configuration. The implant has a first delivery configuration and a second curved placement configuration, wherein it has a more linear configuration in the first delivery configuration than in the second curved configuration. The implant assumes the first delivery configuration during delivery to the disc space and maintains the curved configuration after placement within the disc space. The curved configuration can result from filling or expanding the balloon.