Intervertebral Implant Angled Screw Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional zero profile intervertebral implants are difficult to access for screw placement, especially when located near the chest or chin, due to their design which hinders efficient screw installation.
Innovation Solution
A reduced profile intervertebral implant design featuring a spacer with angled screw apertures and a plate with elevated screw support, allowing for angled screw placement into an endplate and anterior surface of adjacent vertebrae, facilitating easier installation while minimizing external structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional zero profile implant design is used, then the implant maintains a low profile between vertebrae, but screw installation becomes difficult especially in anatomical locations near the chest or chin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an elevated screw support that extends vertically from the plate, creating a third dimension for screw access. This allows surgeons to install screws from a more accessible direction (anteriorly through the elevated support) rather than attempting to access the implant from lateral or superior directions, which are blocked in conventional zero profile designs near the chest or chin.
Solution Approach 2:
The elevated screw support acts as an intermediary structure that mediates between the plate and the screw. It provides a dedicated access pathway and support structure for screw installation, separating the screw installation function from the main implant body and making it accessible independent of the implant's low profile constraint.
2Ease of operation
If the implant structure is extended to improve screw access, then screw installation becomes easier, but more structure extends outside the space between vertebrae
Solution Approach 1:
The elevated screw support is a localized extension only where needed for screw access, rather than extending the entire implant profile. The support is concentrated at specific aperture locations, providing enhanced accessibility only in the necessary regions while keeping the rest of the implant structure compact and confined within the vertebral space.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is segmented into distinct functional components: the main plate that remains within the vertebral space, and the elevated screw support that extends outward only where needed for screw installation. This segmentation allows the access-providing portion to be separated from the space-constrained portion, enabling improved screw access without proportionally increasing the overall implant profile.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an intervertebral implant. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an intervertebral implant that facilitates installation of screws as compared to conventional zero profile implants, while minimizing structure that extends outside the space between the vertebrae.