Interspinous Implant Deployable Wings Minimally Invasive Spine Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for spine implants that alleviate pain caused by spinal stenosis and other cervical spine conditions by increasing the foraminal area and reducing pressure on nerves and blood vessels, while also requiring a minimally invasive surgical method that preserves spinal physiology and accommodates anatomical structures, minimizing further trauma.
Innovation Solution
The development of interspinous process implants with deployable wings and a minimally invasive implantation method, featuring a distraction guide, spacer, and deployable wings that can be secured using various mechanisms such as screws or flexible hinges, to distract the vertebrae and maintain spacing without severe tissue disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional spinal implant surgery is performed, then spinal conditions can be treated, but severe tissue disruption and trauma occur
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple functional segments: a body portion for insertion, deployable wings for anchoring to spinous processes, and a distraction element for maintaining spacing. This segmentation allows minimally invasive insertion through small incisions while ensuring reliable fixation and therapeutic effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is designed to be pre-assembled in a compact configuration that facilitates minimally invasive insertion. The wings are folded or retracted before insertion, and the distraction mechanism is pre-loaded, allowing the implant to be delivered through small incisions without requiring extensive tissue dissection or surgical exposure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If vertebrae are distracted to increase foraminal area, then nerve pressure is reduced, but implant stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The deployable wings act as counterbalancing elements that anchor the implant to the spinous processes. When the distraction element pulls the vertebrae apart to increase foraminal area and reduce nerve pressure, the wings provide opposing anchoring forces to the spinous processes, preventing the implant from migrating or becoming unstable despite the distracting force.
Solution Approach 2:
The wings are designed with curved or contoured surfaces that conform to the anatomy of the spinous processes. This curvature allows the wings to wrap around or engage the spinous processes more effectively, distributing the stabilizing force across a larger surface area and enhancing implant stability while maintaining the distracting force needed to relieve nerve pressure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive implantation is used, then tissue trauma is reduced, but implantation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates dynamic deployment mechanisms where the wings transition from a compact, low-profile configuration during insertion to an expanded, anchored configuration after placement. This dynamic transformation allows the implant to be inserted through small incisions using minimally invasive techniques, while subsequently providing stable fixation without requiring complex multi-step implantation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant features self-deploying wings that automatically expand or unfold upon reaching the target site, and self-adjusting distraction mechanisms that respond to anatomical conditions. This self-service capability reduces the need for complex manual deployment steps during surgery, allowing minimally invasive implantation while maintaining procedural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a system in accordance with the present invention can include an implant having a spacer with a thickness and a wing, wherein a first configuration of the wing has a first height substantially similar to the thickness and wherein the wing is adapted to be selectably arranged in a second configuration such that the wing has a second height greater than the first height. A periphery of the implant has a shape generally conformal with a shape of an inner surface of a cannula and a cross-sectional diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the cannula. The cannula is inserted such that a proximal end of the cannula is arranged between the adjacent spinous processes. The implant is then urged into position between the adjacent spinous processes by way of the cannula, and subsequently arranged in a second configuration to fix the implant in position.