Inter-spinous Orthopedic Implant with Bone Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional treatments for lumbar stenosis, such as laminectomy, pose significant risks of peri-operative complications and can lead to spinal instability, while existing distraction devices require surgical exposure and carry similar risks in frail elderly patients.
Innovation Solution
Minimally invasive inter-spinous implants with bone fasteners and a distractor that measures applied force, allowing for limited decompression and stabilization by anchoring between spinous processes to limit vertebral extension and control motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional laminectomy is performed to treat lumbar stenosis, then neural compression is relieved, but spinal instability and vertebral mal-alignment occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary portion of the spinous process (the tip) for distraction while leaving the majority of the spinous process intact. This selective extraction allows neural decompression through distraction without the extensive bone removal required in laminectomy, thereby avoiding spinal instability while still relieving neural compression.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of removing bone structures (laminectomy) to relieve stenosis, the patent inverts the approach by using distraction of the spinous processes to expand the spinal canal. This inversion of the traditional treatment paradigm achieves neural decompression while preserving spinal stability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If extensive surgical exposure is performed to place distraction devices, then effective decompression is achieved, but peri-operative complications increase in frail elderly patients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the tip of the spinous process for distraction, requiring minimal surgical exposure compared to traditional distraction devices that require exposure of the entire spinous process and posterior spinal elements. This reduced exposure minimizes surgical trauma and lowers peri-operative risks in frail elderly patients while still achieving effective decompression.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by distracting only the tip of the spinous process rather than the entire spinous process. This partial distraction is sufficient to achieve the therapeutic effect of expanding the spinal canal and relieving neural compression, while significantly reducing the surgical exposure and associated risks.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If spinous processes are distracted to increase spinal canal size, then neural decompression is achieved, but surgical exposure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the tip of the spinous process for distraction, eliminating the need for extensive surgical exposure of the entire spinous process and posterior spinal elements. This selective extraction achieves neural decompression with minimal surgical intervention, reducing the complexity of the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the spinous process into two functional zones: the tip (which is distracted and removed) and the base (which remains intact). This segmentation allows the distraction effect to be achieved at the critical level for neural decompression without requiring exposure of the entire spinous process, thereby simplifying the surgical procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal implant device includes a spacer region and an attachment region. The spacer region is adapted to be positioned between first and second spinous processes of first and second vertebral bodies to limit movement of the first spinous process and the second spinous process toward one another. The attachment region attaches to the first spinous process via a fastener that extends substantially along a long axis of the spinous process.