Spinal Fixation Anchor With Lamina Augmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Spinal fixation systems face challenges in patients with osteoporotic bone conditions, where the weakened vertebral components, such as pedicles, cannot adequately support the intended correction due to uncertainty in bone strength, necessitating a solution to enhance fixation strength.
Innovation Solution
A supplemental fixation device is employed that provides additional fixation at an adjacent vertebral lamina, offset from the primary fixation points, to augment the spinal fixation rod assembly, ensuring enhanced construct strength and maintaining the traditional trajectory of the top-loading, top-tightening system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional spinal fixation systems are used with weakened vertebral components, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the fixation strength is insufficient to accommodate the intended correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fixation mechanisms into a single integrated anchor member. The anchor member includes both a pedicle anchor portion for initial insertion and a lamina anchor portion with supplemental fixation capability. This merging allows the device to utilize both the pedicle and lamina structures simultaneously, providing enhanced fixation strength when one structure is weakened
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from single-point fixation in the pedicle to multi-point fixation by adding the lamina anchor portion. The lamina anchor portion extends the fixation pathway to a second location offset from the pedicle, creating a distributed fixation system that spans multiple vertebral structures. This dimensional expansion provides redundancy and enhanced strength
2Strength
If supplemental fixation at offset locations is added to compensate for weakened bone, then fixation strength is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pedicle anchor and lamina anchor into a single monolithic anchor member structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate devices or multiple surgical steps to implant separate fixation elements. The integrated design provides enhanced construct strength through multi-point fixation while maintaining relative operational simplicity during surgery
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor member is designed with multi-functionality to accommodate different surgical scenarios. It can function as a standard pedicle anchor when bone strength is adequate, or activate its supplemental lamina fixation capability when pedicle strength is insufficient. This universal design allows a single device to address both normal and compromised vertebral conditions
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for implementing a spinal fixation system with supplemental fixation includes a spinal fixation rod assembly and at least one supplemental fixation device. The spinal fixation rod assembly is adapted to provide primary fixation at a plurality of first fixation points by being secured to a plurality of first vertebral components except not into one of the first vertebral components of the plurality that is in a weakened structural condition and located between other of the first vertebral components of the plurality. The supplemental fixation device is adapted to provide supplemental fixation for the assembly at a second fixation point by being secured to a second vertebral component located adjacent to and offset from the one first vertebral component in the weakened structural condition and also to interconnect with the assembly to provide anchorage and thus additional fixation supplemental to the primary fixation.