Medial Lateral Retractor System for MIS Spinal Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MIS TLIF surgical systems face challenges in maintaining optimal exposure and access during minimally invasive spinal surgeries due to geometric limitations and the need for adjustable retractor blades and distractors that can accommodate varying angles and lengths without obstructing the surgical field.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a medial lateral retractor system with adjustable retractor arms, rotatable blades, and distractor devices that can extend or change length to maintain exposure and access, allowing for perpendicular movement and rotation to accommodate different surgical needs, and the use of nested interbody spacers and radiolucent materials for improved visibility and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional retractor blades are used in MIS TLIF surgery, then the surgical system structure is simple, but the surgical field exposure and access are insufficient due to geometric limitations and inability to accommodate varying angles and lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor system is divided into multiple independent components including rostral and caudal retractor blades that can move relative to each other, medial lateral retractor arms that can be adjusted independently, and distractor devices that can be positioned separately. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for specific functions while maintaining overall system adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor blades are designed with dynamic adjustment capabilities, allowing them to change length and angle during surgery. The rostral and caudal blades can be distracted from each other to create space, and the medial lateral arms can be rotated and positioned at various angles to accommodate different surgical approaches and patient anatomies.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable retractor blades and distractors are implemented to accommodate varying angles and lengths, then surgical field exposure and access are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor system is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate various surgical approaches and patient anatomies. The same basic structure with adjustable rostral and caudal blades, medial lateral arms, and distractor devices can be configured for different surgical scenarios, eliminating the need for multiple specialized retractors.
Solution Approach 2:
The medial lateral retractor arms are designed to nest within or alongside the rostral and caudal retractor blade assembly. The distractor devices can be positioned within the space created by the retractor blades. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functional components to be integrated in a compact configuration that reduces overall system complexity.
3Illumination intensity
If radiolucent materials are used for retractor components, then surgical field visibility is improved, but the material selection and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The physical property of the retractor materials is changed from opaque to radiolucent to improve visibility during surgery. This parameter change allows the materials to be transparent to X-rays and other imaging modalities, enabling real-time imaging and navigation during the surgical procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
A medial lateral retractor system includes a first medial lateral retractor arm, a second medial lateral retractor arm movably coupled thereto, and a base member coupler coupled to one of the first medial lateral retractor arm and the second medial lateral retractor arm. The base member coupler is configured to couple to a base member to which a rostral refractor blade and caudal retractor blade are coupled. The first medial lateral retractor arm is configured to move relative to the second medial lateral retractor arm in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the rostral retractor blade relative to the caudal retractor blade when the base member coupler is coupled to the base member. In implementations the medial lateral retractor system further includes the base member, the rostral retractor blade and the caudal retractor blade, and the base member is coupled to the base member coupler.