Intervertebral Implant Support Frame for Compression Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Intervertebral implants face challenges in maintaining the height of the intervertebral disc space due to deformation under compression forces, risking damage to nerves and vessels, particularly in open-pored structures.
Innovation Solution
The intervertebral implant features a frame structure with transversely extending support elements that connect inner and outer frame parts, incorporating anchoring projections to secure positioning and enhance stability, allowing for bone ingrowth and easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an open-pored structure is used as an intervertebral implant, then bone ingrowth is facilitated, but the implant is easily deformed under compression and cannot maintain the intervertebral disc space height
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple functional components: an open-pored lattice structure for bone ingrowth, reinforced by integrated support elements and a frame structure. This segmentation allows the bone-contacting surface to remain porous while the load-bearing pathways are strengthened by the support elements extending through the implant height.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant combines different structural elements with complementary properties: the open-pored lattice structure provides osteoconductivity, while the denser support elements and frame structure provide mechanical strength and compression resistance. This composite approach allows both bone ingrowth and structural stability to be achieved simultaneously.
2Reliability
If the implant has sufficient stability to maintain disc space height, then nerve and vessel damage is prevented, but the implant structure becomes more complex and harder to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The support elements serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide compression resistance to maintain disc space height, prevent neural element damage, and are designed with smooth contours that facilitate cleaning. The frame structure similarly provides both structural stability and defined surfaces that are easy to clean, avoiding complex crevices.
3Strength
If support elements are added to prevent deformation, then compression resistance is improved, but the implant structure becomes more complex and unwashable areas increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support elements are designed with smooth, continuous surfaces without sharp corners or crevices, similar to the principle of using streamlined forms that prevent accumulation. This design allows cleaning solutions to flow freely over all surfaces, minimizing unwashable areas while maintaining the structural support function.
Data Source
AI summary
An intervertebral implant for insertion into an intervertebral disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a human or animal spine. The intervertebral implant has an implant top side, which defines a first vertebral body abutment face for abutting against a first vertebral body, and an implant bottom side, which defines a second vertebral body abutment face for abutting against a second vertebral body. The intervertebral implant comprises a frame structure with at least two support elements. The at least two support elements extend from the implant top side to the implant bottom side. The at least two support elements define support element longitudinal axes, which run transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the first and/or second vertebral body abutment face.