Polyaxial Double Tulip Connectors for Multi-Rod Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spinal rod systems face challenges in providing sufficient stiffness and stability, especially when multiple rods are required for complex spinal deformities, as they often lack flexibility and adjustability in connecting bone screws to multiple rods and maintaining optimal alignment.
Innovation Solution
The development of tulip-like connectors that allow for adjustable connections to both a bone screw and multiple spinal rods, featuring coupling heads that enable polyaxial adjustments such as yaw, pitch, and roll, along with extending arms for secure attachment and alignment, facilitating connections that can be fixed or adjustable in various orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional single-rod spinal fixation systems are used, then the device complexity is low, but the stability and strength are insufficient for complex spinal deformities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple rods with a single bone screw through a tulip connector system, merging the functions of multiple fixation elements into an integrated construct. The tulip connector receives both the bone screw and multiple rods, creating a unified stabilization system that enhances overall stability while distributing mechanical loads across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The tulip connector serves multiple functions: it anchors the bone screw, receives one or more spinal rods, provides polyaxial adjustment capabilities, and enables cross-linking between rods. This multi-functional design allows a single component to address various stabilization needs simultaneously, improving stability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-angle connectors are used, then the manufacturing precision is high, but the adaptability to different spinal configurations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The tulip connector incorporates polyaxial adjustment capabilities that allow dynamic reconfiguration of rod angles and positions after implantation. The connector can accommodate rods at various angles relative to the bone screw, enabling adaptation to different spinal deformity configurations without requiring precise pre-determination of all alignment parameters during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design allows changes in geometric parameters such as rod angle, rod position, and orientation in multiple axes. This parametric flexibility enables the same connector to adapt to various spinal configurations by adjusting these parameters during surgery, rather than requiring different fixed-angle connectors for each scenario.
3Strength
If multiple rods are connected to a single bone screw, then the strength and stiffness are improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tulip connector merges the attachment of multiple rods to a single bone screw into a single integrated component. This consolidation allows the surgeon to secure multiple rods through one connector rather than requiring separate attachment procedures for each rod, thereby maintaining ease of operation while achieving the strength benefits of multi-rod construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is designed to universally receive both the bone screw and one or more rods through standardized interfaces. This universal design simplifies the surgical procedure by providing a single point of attachment that handles multiple components, reducing the number of steps required to achieve strong multi-rod fixation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable polyaxial connectors are used, then the adaptability to different angles is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polyaxial connector integrates multiple adjustment functions and rod-receiving capabilities into a single component. By consolidating these functions rather than using separate adjustable mechanisms for each rod, the design achieves high adaptability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector provides dynamic adjustment capabilities in multiple axes through an integrated mechanical design. The polyaxial adjustment mechanism is built into the connector itself rather than requiring external adjustment devices, allowing for angle and position changes while maintaining a relatively compact and manageable device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Spinal fixation coupling devices and systems, such as tulip connectors having extending arms and/or coupling heads extending therefrom to form double tulip connections, and related apparatus, methods, and systems. In some embodiments, a primary tulip connector configured to couple both a spinal fixation rod and a bone screw may further comprise a coupling head projecting therefrom, in some cases terminating at the end of an extending arm. The coupling head may be configured to allow for coupling of a secondary tulip connector to the primary tulip connector to facilitate coupling to a second rod. In some embodiments, the secondary tulip connector may be rotatable and/or adjustable, such as adjustable in roll, pitch, and/or yaw, with respect to the coupling head and/or one or more portions of the primary tulip connector.