Expandable Interbody Implant With Multi-Angle Locking Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intervertebral fusion devices face challenges in achieving precise placement and restoring disc height due to issues with surgical access and alignment, often resulting in iatrogenic pathologies and inadequate disc spacing maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An expandable fusion device that can be inserted at a collapsed height and axially expanded to restore disc height, featuring an adjustable orientation and internal automatic lock for precise placement, allowing insertion from multiple approaches without fixed insertion features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a fixed approach-specific insertion feature is used for each surgical approach, then the precision of placement for that specific approach is improved, but the device complexity and the number of implants required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface collar is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate multiple surgical approaches (anterior, lateral, posterior) through a single implant design. The collar includes multiple openings and attachment features that allow the same implant to be inserted from different approaches, eliminating the need for approach-specific implants and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining placement precision through the standardized interface.
2Ease of operation
If the implant is inserted at collapsed height, then the ease of insertion and access to disc space is improved, but the disc height restoration capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates an expandable endplate mechanism that allows the device to transition from a collapsed state during insertion to an expanded state for disc height restoration. The endplate can be expanded axially using an expansion tool, enabling the implant to provide the necessary disc height while maintaining ease of insertion in a compact configuration. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between ease of insertion and height restoration capability.
3Reliability
If an internal automatic lock is added to provide discrete orientation positions and lock the device, then the reliability of placement is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is merged with the existing interface collar and endplate structures. The lock integrates with the interface collar's openings and the endplate's expansion mechanism, combining multiple functions (orientation, locking, expansion) into a unified structure. This integration provides reliable placement through automatic locking at discrete orientation positions while minimizing additional complexity by avoiding separate, independent locking components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the interface collar is made free to rotate about the central axis, then the adaptability to various surgical approaches is improved, but the stability of orientation during insertion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The interface collar is designed to rotate freely during insertion to accommodate different surgical approaches, then locks into discrete periodic orientation positions through the automatic lock mechanism. The lock engages at specific angular positions (e.g., 0°, 45°, 90°) relative to the implant body, providing orientation stability once the correct position is achieved. This periodic locking allows the collar to be adaptable during insertion while maintaining stability during the surgical procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
Expandable fusion devices, systems, instruments, and methods thereof. The expandable fusion implant may include an upper endplate and a lower endplate configured to engage adjacent vertebrae, an actuation gear configured to adjust a height of the upper endplate, an interface collar configured to attach to an inserter instrument at multiple orientations for a desired surgical approach, and an expansion and orientation lock configured to lock the orientation of the interface collar and lock the height of the upper endplate. The expandable fusion device is attachable to the inserter instrument to secure the interface collar and disengage the lock from the actuation gear to permit expansion of the upper endplate.