Movable-Lid Spinal Implant for Osteoinductive Access and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal fusion techniques often result in excessive compressive forces on interbody implants, leading to instability and challenges in promoting rapid bone growth between fused vertebrae.
Innovation Solution
A spinal implant device with a movable lid that allows easy access to a central cavity for packing osteoinductive material, featuring a hinge or ball-and-socket joint for opening and closing, and a design that mimics the shape of vertebrae end plates to enhance stability and bone fusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a traditional interbody implant is used to fuse vertebrae, then spinal stability is improved, but excessive compressive forces are generated on the implant leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into a rigid endplate structure for load bearing and a separate movable lid for access. The endplate segments the load-bearing function from the access function, allowing the rigid structure to provide stability while the movable lid enables material packing without generating excessive compressive forces on the entire implant.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable lid transforms the static implant structure into a dynamic system that can open for material packing and close for fusion. This dynamic element allows the implant to adapt during surgery (opening for access) and during healing (closing to promote fusion without excessive compression).
2Strength
If the interbody implant structure is made solid to ensure stability, then mechanical strength is improved, but access to the internal cavity for packing osteoinductive material becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The implant structure is segmented into a solid endplate providing mechanical strength and a separate movable lid providing access. The endplate maintains structural integrity while the movable lid can be opened to access the central cavity for packing osteoinductive material, resolving the contradiction between strength and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable lid acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the internal cavity. It provides a controlled access mechanism that allows material packing while maintaining the overall structural integrity of the implant when closed.
3Ease of operation
If the movable lid is made fully removable for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but structural complexity and potential instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable lid provides a dynamic access mechanism that can be opened and closed as needed. This dynamic element simplifies the surgical procedure by allowing easy access to the central cavity while maintaining structural integrity when closed, avoiding the need for fully removable complex structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable lid is positioned specifically at the access point rather than being fully removable. This localized dynamic element provides ease of operation at the critical access location while maintaining structural stability in the load-bearing portions of the implant.
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal implant device is provided comprising a body structure with a central cavity and a movable lid configured to cover the central cavity. The movable lid is configured to be opened to pack a material in the central cavity. The movable lid can be connected to the body structure with a moveable joint. The spinal implant device can include a compressible feature. A method for treating the spine is provided comprising opening a movable lid of a spinal implant device, packing a material in a central cavity of a spinal implant device, closing the movable lid, and inserting the spinal implant device between vertebrae.