Posterior Ligament Augmentation for Flexible Multi-Level Spine Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal augmentation technologies require significant soft tissue dissection and morbidity to the patient, leading to loss of motion and flexibility, as they involve segmental fixation to bone via looping around bone structures or anchorage to the vertebral body, lacking a less aggressive approach for dynamic stabilization.
Innovation Solution
A ligament augmentation device positioned posteriorly to vertebral bodies, attached to natural soft tissues and spinous processes, spanning multiple spinal segments without segmental bone anchorage, using ligamentous lines that can be made of auto- or allografts or synthetic materials like GORE-TEX® or KEVLAR®, and optionally encased in a protective casing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If segmental fixation to bone via looping around bone structures or anchorage to the vertebral body is used, then stabilization strength is improved, but soft tissue dissection and patient morbidity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the bone anchorage requirement from the ligament augmentation system, creating a device that achieves stabilization through soft tissue attachment alone. The ligamentous line is designed to be attached to soft tissues such as the supraspinous ligament, interspinous ligament, or fascia without requiring penetration or anchorage to bone structures, thereby eliminating the need for significant soft tissue dissection while maintaining stabilization strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces soft tissue structures as intermediary attachment points between the ligamentous line and the spinal column. Instead of directly anchoring to bone, the system utilizes natural soft tissues (supraspinous ligament, interspinous ligament, fascia) as mediators to transmit stabilizing forces, reducing the need for invasive bone anchorage and associated soft tissue dissection.
2Strength
If segmental fixation to bone is used, then stabilization strength is improved, but loss of motion and flexibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a dynamic stabilization system where the ligamentous line maintains tension and provides stabilization while allowing physiological motion and flexibility across multiple spinal segments. By avoiding rigid bone anchorage and using flexible soft tissue attachments, the system adapts to natural spinal movement patterns, preserving motion while providing necessary stabilization strength.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If ligamentous lines are attached to soft tissues without bone anchorage, then patient morbidity is reduced, but fixation reliability may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple soft tissue attachment points along the spinal column to create a cumulative stabilizing effect. The ligamentous line is attached to various soft tissue structures (supraspinous ligament, interspinous ligament, fascia) at multiple levels, distributing the fixation load and enhancing overall reliability without requiring bone anchorage, thereby maintaining both low morbidity and high fixation reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a device to restrict interspinous motion across multiple segments of a spinal column in a patient, comprising at least a first ligamentous line attached to a spinous process, a soft tissue in proximity to posterior aspects of a spinal vertebrae, or a pre-existing spinal fixation device or system.