Implantable Thermal Devices for Spinal Canal Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for applying thermal therapy to the spinal cord, such as systemic cooling, lack the ability to specifically target injured tissue, leading to damage to unrelated tissues, limited cooling control, and delayed cooling effects, which are undesirable in treating spinal cord injuries.
Innovation Solution
The development of thermal devices and methods that allow for localized cooling or heating of the spinal canal and surrounding tissues using implantable devices like bone anchors, thermal pads, and conduits, which can be left in place post-surgery for extended thermal therapy, enabling precise temperature control and targeted treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If systemic cooling is applied to treat spinal cord injury, then the spinal cord tissue can be cooled, but the cooling cannot be specifically targeted to injured tissue and unrelated tissue is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into multiple independent cooling elements (e.g., multiple catheters or cooling segments along the spinal cord) that can be independently controlled. This allows selective cooling of specific injured regions while leaving other areas at normal temperature, thereby avoiding damage to unrelated tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements localized cooling by positioning cooling elements directly at the site of injury and controlling temperature independently in different regions. The system applies cooling only where needed (injured tissue) while maintaining normal temperature in healthy tissue, achieving spatially differentiated thermal therapy.
2Temperature
If systemic cooling is used to cool the spinal cord, then cooling effect is achieved, but the degree of cooling is limited and precise control is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamically adjustable cooling systems where temperature, flow rate, and cooling intensity can be independently controlled and modified in real-time. Multiple cooling elements can be activated or deactivated based on real-time temperature feedback, enabling precise control over the degree and distribution of cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates temperature sensors and control systems that continuously monitor tissue temperature and adjust cooling parameters accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables precise control of cooling degree, preventing both under-cooling and excessive cooling, and allowing optimization of therapeutic effect.
3Temperature
If systemic cooling techniques are applied, then the body can be cooled, but body temperature changes occur very slowly delaying cooling administration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from systemic whole-body cooling and implements it locally at the spinal cord level through targeted delivery systems. This eliminates the need to cool the entire body, dramatically reducing the time required to achieve therapeutic cooling at the injury site while avoiding delays associated with systemic temperature changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses intermediary cooling elements (such as catheters, implants, or cooling devices) positioned directly at the spinal cord to deliver cooling therapy. These intermediaries provide a direct pathway for heat removal from the injured tissue, bypassing the slow process of systemic cooling and enabling rapid temperature reduction at the target site.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If localized thermal devices are implanted for precise thermal therapy, then targeted treatment is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs thermal devices that can perform multiple functions: delivering thermal therapy, monitoring temperature, and potentially providing structural support or stabilization. By combining multiple functions into single integrated devices, the patent reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby managing complexity while maintaining targeted treatment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines thermal delivery mechanisms, temperature sensors, and control elements into integrated assemblies that can be implanted as single units. This merging of components simplifies the overall device structure, reduces the number of implantation steps, and maintains the ability to provide precise localized thermal therapy.
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
These devices enable precise and controlled thermal therapy, reducing tissue damage and improving outcomes for spinal cord injuries by allowing targeted application of cooling or heating directly to the affected areas, potentially minimizing swelling and promoting tissue recovery.
Implementation Method 1
These devices enable precise and controlled thermal therapy, reducing tissue damage and improving outcomes for spinal cord injuries by allowing targeted application of cooling or heating directly to the affected areas
Implementation Method 2
conduits, which can be left in place post-surgery for extended thermal therapy, enabling precise temperature control and targeted treatment
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices are disclosed herein that generally involve applying thermal therapy to tissue (e.g., localized cooling or heating of tissue), and in particular applying thermal therapy to the spinal canal, tissue disposed within the spinal canal, and/or nerve roots extending from the spinal canal. In some embodiments, tissue can be cooled or heated by implanting or positioning a thermal device in proximity to the targeted tissue. A number of exemplary thermal devices are disclosed, including bone anchors, inserts for use with bone anchors, K-wires, bone anchor extensions or towers, cross-connectors, spinous process plates, spinal rods, pedicle markers, bone taps, drill bits, bone plugs, bone plates, clamps, interbody or disc implants, thermal pads, and tubing loops. The thermal device can be left in place following surgery to facilitate application of post-surgical thermal therapy. In some embodiments, the thermal device can be removed post-surgery in a minimally- or non-invasive manner.