Radiolucent Spinal Surgery Frame for Imaging and Spine Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard surgical tables interfere with the acquisition of x-ray and fluoroscopic images during surgeries like spinal surgery due to metal components, and existing radiolucent table extensions often lack the flexibility to adjust patient positioning adequately, particularly for procedures requiring a more lordotic or kyphotic spine alignment.
Innovation Solution
A radiolucent accessory frame with pivotable coupling to surgical tables, featuring carbon fiber tubes and polyurethane foam filler, allows for articulation to support patients' upper bodies and legs, enabling adjustment of spine alignment and accommodating various surgical positions without obstructing abdominal access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard surgical tables with metal frames are used, then patient support and positioning are provided, but x-ray and fluoroscopic imaging is interfered with due to metal components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the metal frame components that interfere with imaging from the patient support structure. Instead, it uses radiolucent materials (carbon fiber tubes with polyurethane foam filler) that allow x-ray and fluoroscopic images to pass through clearly, thereby extracting the harmful metal elements while preserving the support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials - specifically carbon fiber tubes filled with polyurethane foam - to create a structure that is both mechanically strong enough to support patients and radiolucent enough to permit clear imaging. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between structural integrity and imaging transparency.
2Ease of manufacture
If fixed connection table extensions are used, then patient support is provided, but patient positioning flexibility for lordotic or kyphotic spine alignment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fixed, rigid connections with dynamic, articulating joints that allow the frame members to pivot and adjust relative to each other. This enables the patient support structure to adapt to various spine alignments (lordotic, kyphotic, and neutral positions) while maintaining stable support, thus resolving the contradiction between structural stability and positioning flexibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If table extensions with underlying table surfaces are used, then patient support is provided, but abdominal access is obstructed during prone position surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the patient support into segmented frame members rather than using a continuous solid table surface. This segmentation creates open spaces between the frame members that allow surgical access to the patient's abdomen during prone position surgery, while still providing adequate support through the distributed frame structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
An accessory (10) has a substantially radiolucent frame (12), a floor- supported base (14), and a support structure (16) extending between the base (14) and one end (18) of the frame. A second end (20) of the frame (12) is coupleable to a surgical table (22) in a manner that permits the frame (12) to articulate relative to the surgical table (22). The support structure (16) is extendable and retractable to change the height at which the first end (18) of the frame (12) is supported above the base (14). The support structure (16) is able to tilt front to rear and side to side relative to the base (14) and the frame (12) is able to tilt front to rear and side to side relative to the support structure (16). The frame (12) is movable to a compact storage position having the second end (20) of the frame (12) supported on the base (14). A set of wheels (56) are provided on the base (14) to permit the accessory (10) to be wheeled from one location to another.