Implant Dispenser Nested Magazine for Spinal Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of securing locking caps to rod receiving heads in spinal fixation systems is time-consuming and cumbersome, often requiring manual handling and limited visibility due to the use of separate instruments or cartridges that protrude, hindering efficient application during surgery.
Innovation Solution
An implant dispenser system that includes a barrel, magazine, and driver mechanism, allowing for the simultaneous loading and controlled dispensing of multiple locking caps onto a rod, with a design that maintains clear visibility and reduces handling time by using a power driver for efficient threading and alignment with the rod receiving head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple locking caps are loaded into an instrument via a plate or cartridge, then the application of locking caps is expedited, but the plate or cartridge protrudes from the instrument, preventing clear view of the rod receiving head
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is nested within the instrument shaft, with the locking caps arranged in a circular pattern inside the cartridge. This nesting arrangement allows multiple locking caps to be carried without protruding from the instrument, maintaining clear visibility of the rod receiving head while enabling rapid application of multiple caps.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking caps are arranged in a circular pattern within the cartridge, utilizing the radial dimension. This circular arrangement allows multiple caps to be compactly stored in a plane perpendicular to the instrument axis, preventing protrusion while maintaining accessibility for rapid deployment.
2Ease of operation
If locking caps are applied one at a time with separate instruments, then clear view is maintained, but the process is time-consuming and requires frequent instrument handling
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple locking caps are merged into a single instrument assembly within one cartridge. This allows the surgeon to apply multiple caps in sequence without removing the instrument from the rod receiving head, eliminating frequent handling time while maintaining clear visibility throughout the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple locking caps are pre-loaded into the cartridge in the correct sequence and orientation before the surgical procedure. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for frequent instrument removal and loading during surgery, reducing handling time while maintaining operational simplicity and visibility.
3Loss of time
If a single instrument is used for loading multiple locking caps, then handling time is reduced, but the instrument becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is designed as a multi-functional device that can load multiple locking caps of different sizes and types through a single cartridge mechanism. This universal design allows the same instrument to handle various locking cap configurations without requiring multiple specialized tools, reducing handling time while keeping the overall design relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of implants including a barrel, a magazine, and a driver. The barrel has a longitudinal passage and a lateral passage intersecting the longitudinal passage adjacent a distal end of the barrel. The magazine has a housing defining a chamber for holding a plurality of implants. The housing is slidably connected to the barrel and movable between a retracted position and an extended position wherein a slot of the housing is aligned with the lateral passage of the barrel. A pusher member connected to the housing is caused to push one of the implants through the slot and the lateral passage and into the longitudinal passage. The driver is disposed in the longitudinal passage to be axially and rotatably movable to apply a rotational force to the implant.