Percutaneous Spinal Implant with Expandable Struts
Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive spinal procedures for treating spinal stenosis are not suitable for cases with severely compressed spinous processes and often require large or multiple incisions, leading to increased complications and hospital stays.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with an elongate member that can be deformed from a first to a second configuration, featuring a non-expanding central portion to engage adjacent spinous processes, and an expansion mechanism using a guide shaft, actuator, and clamps to stabilize the spinous processes without expanding, allowing for percutaneous insertion and expansion between spinous processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical decompression is performed to treat spinal stenosis, then the spinal canal can be widened to relieve pressure on the spinal cord, but the procedure requires large incisions, general anesthesia, and results in extended hospital stays with increased complications
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple expandable segments or struts that can be independently deployed and adjusted. This segmentation allows the implant to be inserted through a small percutaneous access point while achieving the therapeutic effect of spinal canal widening through controlled expansion of individual segments within the spinal canal.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant utilizes a nested configuration where collapsible struts or support elements are contained within a delivery catheter or sheath. The implant is compressed into a small profile for percutaneous insertion, then expanded in-situ within the spinal canal to achieve the desired decompression effect, similar to nested dolls where smaller elements are contained within larger ones.
2Ease of operation
If minimally invasive procedures are used to access the space between adjacent spinous processes, then major surgery can be avoided, but these procedures are not suitable when spinous processes are severely compressed and require large or multiple incisions
Solution Approach 1:
The implant features dynamically adjustable struts that can be expanded or contracted to adapt to varying degrees of spinous process compression. The device transitions from a compressed delivery state for percutaneous insertion to an expanded therapeutic state that can accommodate severely compressed anatomy, providing both minimal invasiveness and adaptability to severe cases.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant utilizes changeable physical parameters including expandable volume and adjustable strut length to adapt to different anatomical conditions. The device can be inserted in a compact form through small incisions, then expanded in-situ to provide adequate support and decompression even in cases of severe spinous process compression, effectively changing its size and structural parameters to match the therapeutic need.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes an elongate member having a portion configured to be deformed from a first configuration to a second configuration. In one variation, the apparatus includes an outer body, defining an interior region, and an inner body. A portion of the outer body is configured to be disposed between adjacent spinous processes. The inner body is disposed within the interior region of the outer body. A distal end portion of the inner body is coupled to a distal end portion of the outer body. A proximal end portion of the inner body configured to removably receive a tool to move the outer body between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.