Pedicle Screw Insertion Instrument with Stylet for Spine Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pedicle screw insertion instruments for orthopedic spine surgery often lack positive control over screw placement due to the pivotable and rotatable nature of tulip coupling elements, making it difficult to handle the screws accurately and efficiently, especially in minimally invasive procedures without additional instruments.
Innovation Solution
A screw insertion instrument comprising a handle, driving assembly, and stylet, designed to securely engage and control the pedicle screw, allowing for precise placement without additional instruments by using a stylet that extends beyond the screw to create a pilot hole and facilitate the screw's introduction into vertebral bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the pedicle screw utilizes a pivotable and rotatable tulip coupling element, then alignment with longitudinally linked rods is facilitated, but control over screw placement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to pivot and rotate during insertion to facilitate alignment with the rod, then lock into a fixed position once placed, providing both ease of alignment and secure control
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element acts as an intermediary between the screw and the rod, providing a mechanism that translates the rotational motion during insertion into a secure, fixed connection, mediating between the need for alignment flexibility and placement control
2Measurement precision
If additional instruments such as guidewires are used to control trajectory, then accuracy of screw placement is improved, but device complexity and procedure time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion instrument combines multiple functions into a single integrated device, including the driver, stylet, and coupling element interaction, eliminating the need for separate guidewires and reducing the number of instruments required
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling element and insertion instrument are designed to perform multiple functions: facilitating alignment, controlling trajectory, and securing the screw, all through a single device rather than requiring multiple specialized instruments
3Productivity
If the stylet extends distally beyond the pedicle screw, then pilot hole creation and screw introduction are facilitated, but the instrument structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The stylet is designed to extend beyond the screw to pre-create the pilot hole and establish the insertion trajectory before the screw is fully inserted, performing the preparatory action in advance to facilitate smoother and more efficient screw placement
Data Source
AI summary
A screw insertion instrument includes a handle, a driving assembly, and a stylet. The driving assembly extends distally from the handle and includes a knob, a tubular body extending distally from the knob, and a driver including an elongated body extending through the knob and the tubular body. The elongated body has a proximal region operably coupled to the handle and a distal region extending distally beyond the tubular body and engageable with a pedicle screw. The stylet includes an elongated body positionable through first and second longitudinal bores defined through the handle and the driver, respectively. A proximal portion of the stylet is positionable adjacent the handle and a distal portion of the stylet extends distally beyond the driver and is positionable through a third longitudinal bore defined through the pedicle screw such that the distal portion of the stylet extends distally beyond the pedicle screw.