Pedicle Screw Tower Guide Chute for Minimally Invasive Spinal Fixation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing minimally invasive surgical techniques for fixing rods to vertebrae using pedicle screws face difficulties in efficiently inserting a guide cable between screws due to the complexity and time-consuming nature of the process, particularly in navigating the cable through tissue between pedicle screws.

Innovation Solution

A pedicle screw tower with a guide chute extending from its main body, featuring a curved bottom opening that redirects the guide cable laterally, facilitating easier passage of the cable between pedicle screws and allowing for efficient alignment and positioning of a connecting rod using minimally invasive incisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If minimally invasive surgical techniques are used for spinal fixation, then recovery time is improved, but the difficulty and time required for inserting guide cable between pedicle screws increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecovery timeVSAvoiddifficulty of inserting guide cable

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A guide cable is introduced as an intermediary element to facilitate rod insertion. The guide cable passes through the pedicle screws and provides a pathway for the rod, making the minimally invasive procedure feasible by mediating between the surgical incisions and the fixation components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide cable is inserted and positioned between pedicle screws before rod insertion. This preliminary action creates a prepared pathway that simplifies the subsequent rod placement, reducing the overall complexity of the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Duration of action of moving object

If minimally invasive surgical techniques are used for spinal fixation, then recovery time is improved, but the time required for inserting guide cable and positioning rod increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecovery timeVSAvoidtime required for cable insertion and rod positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The guide cable serves as a mediator that pre-establishes the pathway for rod insertion, eliminating the need for complex real-time manipulation during rod placement and reducing procedural time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The procedure is segmented into distinct steps: first inserting and positioning the guide cable, then using it to guide rod insertion. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently, improving overall efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If guide cable is inserted through tissue between pedicle screws, then rod can be directed to proper position, but the insertion process becomes difficult and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracy of rodVSAvoidease of inserting guide cable

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide cable acts as a physical intermediary that translates the desired rod position into an actual placement, providing tactile and visual guidance that improves positioning accuracy while simplifying the insertion process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of directly inserting the rod through complex tissue navigation, the guide cable is inserted first to create a simplified pathway, and the rod follows this pre-established route, inverting the traditional approach sequence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9526554B2System, instrumentation and method for spinal fixation using minimally invasive surgical techiques

Publication Date: 2016.12.27 MIRUS LLC

AI summary

A pedicle screw tower having a guide chute, open at both ends, affixed to the exterior of the main body of the tower. The guide chute extends the length of the tower and is curved inwardly at its bottom such that the exit direction is at approximately 90 degrees to and facing the central axis of tower. A guide cable is passed into and through the guide chute such that it is directed across the tower to an adjacent tower.