Cervical Laminoplasty Implant Plate Hinge Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cervical laminoplasty procedures involve drilling bone to create a hinge, which can lead to complications such as inadequate bone hinging and excessive bone removal, and require back-and-forth testing between the drill and vertebra.
Innovation Solution
A cervical laminoplasty system and method that uses an implant plate with a bendable design, where a primary instrument engages a post screw to hinge the vertebra open without drilling, using medial and lateral bone screws for securement, and a secondary instrument to aid in forming the bend between the plate's lateral and medial sides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bone is drilled to create a hinge in traditional cervical laminoplasty procedures, then the vertebra can be hinged open to relieve pressure on spinal nerves, but excessive bone removal may occur leading to complications and inadequate bone hinging
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary device (the hinge mechanism with guide pins and connecting element) is introduced to facilitate the hinging process without requiring direct bone drilling. The guide pins insert into bone without creating extensive troughs, and the connecting element links the pins to enable controlled hinging motion, thus achieving reliable bone hinging while minimizing bone loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional mechanical system of drilling bone to create hinges is replaced with a less invasive mechanical system using guide pins and a connecting element. Instead of removing bone material to create hinges, the new system uses insertable pins that guide and enable hinging motion through a connecting element, substituting the drilling mechanism with a pin-and-connector mechanism that preserves bone integrity.
2Reliability
If traditional drilling methods are used to create hinges, then vertebra hinging can be achieved, but the procedure requires back-and-forth testing between the drill and vertebra reducing surgical efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The guide pins are pre-configured with specific orientations and positions that predetermined the hinging path. The connecting element is designed to link these pins in a predetermined configuration, allowing the surgeon to achieve reliable hinge formation in a single sequence of actions rather than requiring iterative drilling and testing. The preliminary design of the pin positions and connecting element geometry ensures correct hinge formation without repeated adjustments.
3Shape
If partial troughs are created on both sides of the vertebra, then symmetric expansion of the canal can be achieved, but the complexity of the procedure increases requiring multiple drilling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting element serves multiple functions: it links the guide pins on both sides of the vertebra, enables symmetric hinging motion, and maintains the predetermined geometric relationship between the pins. This single multi-functional component achieves symmetric canal expansion without requiring separate complex drilling operations for each side, thereby reducing overall procedure complexity while maintaining shape symmetry.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach avoids complications associated with traditional methods by allowing precise hinging of the vertebra without extensive bone removal, reducing the risk of nerve pressure and improving surgical efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the implant plate includes a lateral side, a medial side, and a bridge disposed between the lateral side and the medial side... moving the first instrument and the second instrument relative to each other to form a bend in the implant plate
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for performing a cervical laminoplasty procedure on a patient. An exemplary device includes a primary instrument having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a secondary instrument having a distal portion, and an implant plate assembly having an implant plate and an implant post. The distal portion of the primary instrument can be configured to engage the implant post of the implant plate assembly. A lateral side of the implant plate can engage a lateral portion of a lamina of a vertebra, and a medial side of the implant plate can engage a medial portion of a lamina of a vertebra. The implant plate can be bent and a corresponding adjustment in an angle between the lateral and medial portions of the lamina can be achieved.