Percutaneous Rod Contouring Apparatus for Spinal Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional surgical procedures for deep body locations require extensive incisions, leading to tissue traumatization, prolonged recovery, and increased risk of complications, while minimally invasive surgeries face challenges in accurately placing and configuring orthopedic implants without open surgery.

Innovation Solution

The development of apparatus and methods for percutaneous minimally invasive surgery using elongated hollow tubes with working channels and slots to deliver and position connecting devices and instruments, allowing for extracorporeal selection and contouring of implants based on body landmarks without open surgery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional open surgery is used for deep body locations, then accurate implant placement and configuration can be achieved, but extensive tissue trauma, prolonged recovery, and increased complication risk occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant placement accuracyVSAvoidtissue trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a percutaneous access device as an intermediary tool that provides a controlled pathway from the external environment to deep spinal locations. This mediator enables precise implant placement through small incisions rather than large open surgical wounds, thus maintaining measurement precision while reducing tissue trauma.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical open surgical approach with a percutaneous mechanical system that uses elongated access devices, guide wires, and contoured rods delivered through small incisions. This substitution maintains implant placement accuracy while significantly reducing the mechanical trauma to surrounding tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive percutaneous procedures are used, then tissue trauma is reduced and recovery is faster, but accurate implant selection and configuration without open surgery becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue traumaVSAvoidimplant configuration difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-contouring rods to match the patient's spinal anatomy before implantation. The rods are contoured extracorporeally based on preoperative planning and intraoperative verification through the access device, allowing accurate implant configuration without requiring open surgical exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating an external template or model of the spinal anatomy through the percutaneous access device. This template guides the contouring and selection of implants to match the patient's specific anatomy, enabling accurate implant configuration through minimally invasive means.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Object-affected harmful factors

If percutaneous access devices with working channels are used, then minimally invasive implant delivery is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue traumaVSAvoidaccess device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The percutaneous access device is designed with multi-functionality, serving as a universal platform that can deliver various implants (rods, screws, cages) through a single percutaneous pathway. The device includes working channels, contouring capabilities, and implant delivery mechanisms that can accommodate different implant types, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The access device employs a nested structure where smaller components (guide wires, implants, contouring tools) are delivered through elongated hollow tubes with working channels. This nested arrangement allows multiple functions to be integrated within a single percutaneous access system, managing device complexity through hierarchical organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS10765488B2Rod contouring apparatus for percutaneous pedicle screw extension

Publication Date: 2020.09.08 VB SPINE LLC

AI summary

Anatomic points within the body are projected outside the body through the use of extenders (180, 182, 188). The projected points may then be used for measurement, or to facilitate the selection or configuration of an implant that is positioned proximate the anatomic points using a slotted cannula (143). Such an implant may be a rod (270) for a posterior spinal fusion system. Pedicle screws (140, 142, 148) may be implanted into pedicles of the spine, and may then serve as anchors for the extenders. The extenders (180, 182, 188) may have rod interfaces (214, 216, 218) that receive the rod (270) in a manner that mimics the geometry of the pedicle screws (140, 142, 148) so that the selected or configured contoured rod (270) will properly fit into engagement with the pedicle screws (140, 142, 148).