Posterior Pedicle Screw Spinal Stabilization

Solution Overview

Problem

Current spinal stabilization techniques often require invasive procedures and may risk damaging adjacent blood vessels, as they involve advancing screws through the anterior surface of the vertebrae, which can be hazardous and limit the precision of the immobilization process.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for spinal stabilization that involves advancing pedicle screws partially into the vertebral body from the posterior surface, then accessing the anterior surface to extend the screws, using guide wires and surgical navigation techniques to minimize risk to blood vessels, and employing polyaxial connector assemblies and intervertebral stabilization structures to secure rods or plates for stabilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If screws are advanced through the anterior surface of the vertebrae, then spinal stabilization is achieved, but the risk of damaging adjacent blood vessels increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespinal stabilizationVSAvoidrisk of damaging blood vessels

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by advancing screws from the posterior surface of the vertebrae rather than through the anterior surface. This reversal of the screw insertion direction allows the screws to engage the vertebral body from behind, avoiding the anterior blood vessels entirely while still achieving effective spinal stabilization through the same pedicle screw mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If screws are advanced through the anterior surface of the vertebrae, then spinal stabilization is achieved, but surgical precision is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespinal stabilizationVSAvoidsurgical precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by advancing screws from the posterior surface of the vertebrae rather than through the anterior surface. This reversal of the screw insertion direction allows the screws to engage the vertebral body from behind, avoiding the anterior blood vessels entirely while still achieving effective spinal stabilization through the same pedicle screw mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9254149B2Spinal fixation method and apparatus

Publication Date: 2016.02.09 VERSAPINE LLC

AI summary

A spinal stabilization system having a pedicle screw which includes (i) a shaft with external threads and a head segment on one end of the shaft; (ii) a first drive socket positioned in the head segment; (iii) a second drive socket on a shaft end opposite the first drive socket; and (iv) wherein the shaft end opposite the first drive socket has a lesser diameter than the shaft end at the head segment. The system further includes an intervertebral stabilization structure having an elongated body with rotating ring segments attached to each end of the elongated body.