Radiolucent Spinal Trial with Radio-Opaque Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in spinal implant trials is the difficulty in determining the location of radio-opaque markers on fluoroscopic images during spinal fusion surgeries, limiting the accurate placement and orientation of interbody spinal fusion implants.
Innovation Solution
A spinal implant trial with radio-opaque columns and specific design features that allow for proper alignment and orientation within the disc space, utilizing fluoroscopic images from different directions to ensure correct positioning, facilitating the selection of appropriately configured and sized spinal implants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If radio-opaque markers are added to the spinal implant trial to aid location determination, then the visibility on fluoroscopic images is improved, but the difficulty in determining the location of markers remains due to limited visualization of the disc space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies radiopaque markers with specific geometric configurations (columns, end portions) that create distinct patterns on fluoroscopic images. These markers utilize differential radiopacity and geometric arrangement to provide clear visual cues for determining the location and orientation of the trial implant within the disc space, resolving the difficulty of marker location determination while maintaining improved visibility.
2Measurement precision
If multiple radio-opaque markers are placed on the spinal implant trial to improve positioning accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radiopaque marker system into distinct functional components: columns positioned along the longitudinal axis for determining anterior-posterior orientation, and radio-opaque end portions for determining lateral positioning. This segmentation allows each component to serve a specific positioning function, improving measurement precision while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular functional design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric geometric configurations of the radiopaque markers, including columns of varying positions and end portions with different thicknesses. This asymmetry creates unique fluoroscopic patterns that enable precise determination of the trial implant's orientation and location, improving measurement precision without requiring excessive numbers of markers that would increase device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the spinal implant trial is designed with detailed features for precise localization, then the manufacturing precision requirements increase, but the ease of operation during surgery is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies radiopaque materials selectively to specific local regions of the trial implant rather than uniformly throughout. The columns and end portions are concentrated in strategic locations where they provide maximum information for fluoroscopic visualization. This local quality approach improves ease of operation during surgery by providing clear localization cues, while reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements compared to uniform radiopaque construction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise location and orientation of the spinal implant trial within the disc space, improving the accuracy of selecting the correct spinal implant size and position, thereby enhancing surgical outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
at least a first column and a second column provided in the first interior portion and being positioned along the first mid-longitudinal axis, the first column and the second column each being at least in part radio opaque
Data Source
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AI summary
Spinal implant trials are provided having various configurations and sizes that aid the selection of spinal implants having similar configurations and sizes. A surgeon during surgery can insert various configurations and sizes of the spinal implant trials into a disc space between two adjacent vertebral bodies of a patient to enable the selection of a spinal implant configured and sized to fit the patient's disc space. Fluoroscopic images can be used in aiding the selection of an appropriately configured and sized spinal implant corresponding to one of the spinal implant trials. The spinal implant trials include features that reveal on the fluoroscopic images whether the spinal implant trials are properly located and oriented in the disc space and include features corresponding to different sizes of spinal implants also revealed on the fluoroscopic images.