Guide Wire-Free Modular Pedicle Screw Implant System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of guide wires in pedicle screw placement poses risks such as organ or vessel damage, kinking, and increased instrumentation complexity, which complicates surgical procedures and reduces safety.
Innovation Solution
A modular pedicle screw system that eliminates the need for guide wires by using a surgical instrument with a cannula and surgical shaft forming a coaxial relationship, allowing for accurate alignment and assembly of a solid pedicle screw in situ, reducing the risk of complications and instrumentation complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a guide wire is used for pedicle screw placement, then proper alignment can be achieved, but the risk of organ or vessel damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the guide wire from the surgical procedure entirely. Instead of using a guide wire for alignment, the system uses a percutaneous pedicle screw with a cannulated structure that allows direct visualization and alignment under fluoroscopic guidance, eliminating the harmful guide wire while maintaining alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a fluoroscopic imaging system as an intermediary to achieve alignment without a guide wire. The cannulated pedicle screw allows real-time fluoroscopic visualization of screw placement, providing the necessary alignment information without requiring a physical guide wire that could damage organs or vessels
2Measurement precision
If a guide wire is used for pedicle screw placement, then proper positioning can be achieved, but the risk of guide wire kinking or breaking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wire is completely removed from the procedure. The patent uses a cannulated pedicle screw that can be directly positioned and visualized under fluoroscopy, eliminating the reliability issues associated with guide wire kinking or breaking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary positioning of the cannulated pedicle screw under fluoroscopic guidance before final insertion. This allows the screw to be positioned accurately without requiring a guide wire to be threaded through the entire trajectory, eliminating the risk of guide wire deformation
3Measurement precision
If a guide wire is used for pedicle screw placement, then proper alignment can be achieved, but the complexity of instrumentation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates multiple guide wire-related instruments including guide wire insertors, retrieval devices, and extension apparatus. The procedure uses a simplified set of instruments for direct cannulated screw insertion under fluoroscopic guidance, reducing overall instrumentation complexity while maintaining alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The cannulated pedicle screw serves multiple functions: it provides the structural fixation element, allows for real-time fluoroscopic visualization of placement, and eliminates the need for separate guide wires. This multi-functionality reduces the number of different instruments needed in the procedure
4Measurement precision
If a cannulated screw is used with guide wire, then proper alignment can be achieved, but the screw strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical guide wire system with a fluoroscopic imaging system for alignment guidance. This allows the use of solid or partially solid pedicle screws without the hollow cannulated structure required for guide wire passage, thereby restoring full screw strength while maintaining alignment precision through real-time imaging
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system, method, device and kit which utilize a modular pedicle screw implant that does not require the use of a guide wire for implantation and can be assembled in situ. The system, method, device, and kit include a surgical instrument for implanting a modular pedicle screw comprising a cannula coaxially aligned with a modified trocar style instrument or surgical shaft. The surgical shaft contains a first member of a surgical shaft-inner pedicle bone screw member joint, illustrated herein as a locking taper, for securing an inner member of a pedicle screw thereto. The inner member of a pedicle screw is further adapted to couple to an outer pedicle sheath. In combination, the inner member of a pedicle screw and the outer pedicle sheath form a solid modular pedicle screw.