Modular Bone Anchor Assembly for Spinal Surgery Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In orthopedic surgery, particularly in spinal procedures, there is a challenge in maintaining spatial anatomical awareness and direct visualization due to the disruptive nature of bone anchor assemblies and their instrumentation, which can obscure the native anatomy and require larger working channels, limiting the effectiveness of less-invasive surgical techniques.
Innovation Solution
A modular bone anchor assembly with a smaller footprint that allows the bone anchor to be driven into the bone initially, followed by attachment of a head or receiver member later, featuring a collet mechanism for secure attachment and various instruments for driving, attaching, removing, and making unilateral attachments, enhancing visualization and anatomical awareness during surgical steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complete bone anchor assembly with head is inserted initially, then the fixation is immediate, but the footprint is larger which obscures visualization and disrupts anatomical spatial awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The bone anchor assembly is divided into two separate components: a bone anchor and a head, which are inserted and attached at different times. This segmentation allows the bone anchor to have a smaller footprint during initial insertion, improving visualization and anatomical awareness, while the head can be attached later to provide the necessary fixation stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone anchor is inserted into the bone first, establishing the fixation point before the head is attached. This preliminary action allows the surgeon to visualize and manipulate the anatomical structures with minimal obstruction during the initial surgical steps, and only does the head attachment when needed for final fixation.
2Reliability
If a complete bone anchor assembly with head is inserted initially, then the fixation is immediate, but larger working channels are required which limit less-invasive techniques
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the bone anchor from the head, the system allows insertion of the smaller bone anchor through minimal incisions and working channels, preserving the benefits of less-invasive surgery. The head is attached later through a separate, smaller incision or through the same incision with minimal additional disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone anchor is inserted first through small working channels, enabling minimally invasive technique. The head attachment is performed as a subsequent step that does not require re-opening large incisions or expanding working channels, thus maintaining the advantages of less-invasive surgery while achieving complete fixation.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the bone anchor is inserted without the head, then visualization and anatomical awareness are improved, but the fixation is not immediate
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the bone anchor and head into distinct components that can be handled independently. The bone anchor can be inserted and used for visualization and anatomical manipulation without the head present, improving surgical visibility. The head is attached later when fixation stability is required, resolving the contradiction between visualization and immediate fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone anchor is inserted and positioned first, allowing the surgeon to visualize and work on anatomical structures with optimal visibility. The head is attached as a subsequent step when fixation stability becomes necessary, enabling the surgeon to perform all preliminary surgical steps with improved visualization before final fixation is established.
4Area of stationary object
If modular components are used, then the footprint is reduced and visualization is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bone anchor assembly is segmented into a bone anchor and a head that can be inserted and attached at different times. This segmentation reduces the footprint during initial insertion, improving visualization, while the attachment process uses simple mechanical features like countersunk holes and countersinks that simplify the assembly rather than complicate it.
Solution Approach 2:
A countersink feature acts as an intermediary element between the bone anchor and the head. The countersunk hole in the bone anchor receives a countersink in the head, providing a simple mechanical interface that facilitates easy attachment without complex assembly procedures, thus reducing the perceived complexity of the modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
Bone anchor assemblies and related instrumentation are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a modular bone anchor assembly allows for a bone anchor to be driven into bone and a head or receiver member to be attached thereto at some later point in time. The bone anchor can have a smaller footprint than the complete assembly, which can improve visualization and anatomical spatial awareness during insertion of the bone anchor and during other surgical steps performed prior to attaching the head or receiver member to the bone anchor. A variety of modular head types are disclosed, as are various instruments for driving a bone anchor, attaching a head to a bone anchor, removing a head from a bone anchor, and making a unilateral attachment to a head of a bone anchor assembly. Drive interfaces for driving a bone anchor are disclosed, as are features that allow a bone anchor to act as a fixation point for soft tissue retraction, disc space distraction, derotation, and the like.