Orthogonal Stabilization Nails for Spinal Deformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Adult spinal deformity surgeries often result in post-surgery complications such as proximal junctional failure (PJF), which can cause increased pain and neurological disorders due to vertebral body fracture, ligament complex failure, or instrument failure, affecting a significant number of patients.
Innovation Solution
A screw-rod configuration with nails extending orthogonally from the rods to adjacent ribs for additional stabilization, reducing stress between vertebrae and enhancing the stability of the spinal construct, thereby minimizing the risk of PJF.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a screw-rod configuration is used to treat adult spinal deformity, then spinal alignment can be corrected, but proximal junctional failure occurs in up to 70% of patients due to stress concentration at the upper instrumented vertebra
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a novel dimensional approach by extending nails orthogonally from the longitudinal rod in a direction perpendicular to the spine axis, creating a three-dimensional stabilization structure. This orthogonal extension distributes mechanical stress from the upper instrumented vertebra across multiple dimensions (longitudinal rod support plus transverse nail support to adjacent vertebrae), thereby reducing stress concentration and preventing proximal junctional failure while maintaining spinal alignment stability
2Ease of manufacture
If the spinal construct is stabilized using only screws and rods, then surgical installation is relatively simple, but the construct lacks sufficient stabilization at the proximal junctional level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the stabilization function into separate components: the longitudinal rod provides primary axial support, while additional orthogonal nails serve as secondary stabilizing elements. This segmentation allows the core screw-rod construct to remain simple for standard cases, while the optional orthogonal nails can be added specifically at the proximal junctional level to enhance strength without complicating the overall surgical procedure for all patients
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus is disclosed for the surgical installation of a nail for stabilizing a screw-rod configuration attached to vertebrae of a spine to the rib cage of an organic body to treat Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD) and prevent proximal junctional failure (PJF). The nail may be secured at one end to an adjacent rib of the rib cage, and may extend into the rib or be secured to the rib by a rib hook. The nail may be secured at another end to a rod of the screw-rod configuration, such that the nail imparts stability from the rib cage to the screw-rod configuration and to the vertebrae of the spine.