Interspinous Implant Inserter With Staggered Locking and Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insertion instruments for spinal implants, such as those used in minimally invasive surgical procedures for treating spinal stenosis, are complex and require multiple moving parts, making them difficult to clean and reuse without damage, and often lack a low-profile deployment mechanism.
Innovation Solution
An insertion instrument with an elongated main body and a plunger system featuring a staggered path mechanism, including a hex nut driver and flexible arms, allows for easy assembly, disassembly, and secure deployment of interspinous process implants, facilitating cleaning and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing insertion instruments use multiple moving parts for implant deployment, then the deployment functionality is achieved, but the device complexity increases and cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the plunger advancement mechanism and implant deployment mechanism into a single integrated system. The staggered path mechanism allows one continuous linear motion to simultaneously advance the plunger and trigger implant deployment, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms and reducing the number of moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The main body of the insertion instrument serves multiple functions: it houses the staggered path mechanism, contains the plunger advancement system, and controls implant deployment. This multi-functional design reduces the need for additional specialized components, simplifying the overall device structure.
2Reliability
If existing insertion instruments have multiple moving parts, then deployment control is achieved, but the ease of cleaning and reuse deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion instrument is divided into separable components including the main body, plunger, and implant. This segmentation allows each component to be independently removed and cleaned, facilitating thorough sterilization and reuse without damage to complex internal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger and implant can be extracted from the main body through the staggered path mechanism. This extraction capability allows for easy removal of components that require cleaning or replacement, simplifying the maintenance and reuse process while maintaining deployment control.
3Volume of moving object
If the implant deployment mechanism is made low-profile, then the instrument size is reduced, but the locking reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The staggered path mechanism uses a two-dimensional path within the handle to control one-dimensional plunger movement. This dimensional approach allows compact instrument design while maintaining full plunger travel distance needed for reliable implant locking, as the staggered path provides mechanical advantage without increasing overall instrument volume.
Data Source
AI summary
An insertion instrument for inserting an implant includes an elongated main body having a proximal handle and a distal portion that selectively couples to the implant. A plunger is slidably engaged in a central passage of the elongated main body configured to fix the implant to the elongated main body by selectively filling the central passage within the distal portion. A hex nut driver is concentrically located about the plunger and elongated main body to deploy an actuation plunger of the implant. The proximal handle portion of the main body includes a staggered path therethrough for accepting a tab of the plunger therein. Advancement and retraction of the plunger tab within the staggered path alternates the insertion instrument between an unlocked position configured to mount the implant on the distal portion of the elongated main body, a locked position configured to lock the implant on the distal portion, and a deployed position configured to secure the implant.