Rotatable Spinal Connector for Multi-Axis Rod Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal implant systems with fixed rod orientations lack the necessary range of motion to achieve optimal spinal alignment during surgical procedures, particularly in revision surgeries where alignment shifts occur due to trauma, aging, or mechanical failure.
Innovation Solution
A spinal construct with a connector system featuring rotatable body portions and adjustable implant cavities allows for the orientation of longitudinal rods in multiple directions, enabling flexible alignment and fixation through set screws and retaining mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed connectors are used to attach rods to pedicle screws, then the rod system is fixed in a single extension direction, but the surgeon and patient do not have sufficient range of motion to obtain target alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into multiple body portions (first body portion and second body portion) that can rotate relative to each other. Each body portion can be independently oriented and fixed, allowing the rod to be positioned in multiple directions while maintaining structural integrity through set screws in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamic one with rotatable body portions. The first and second body portions can rotate relative to each other around a rotation axis, enabling adjustment of the rod's orientation in multiple planes before being locked in position using set screws.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed rod orientation system is used, then the connector structure is simple, but the system cannot provide sufficient range of motion to achieve target alignment in revision surgeries
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable body portions are designed to be oriented and fixed in a predetermined sequence during surgery. The first body portion is oriented and fixed first, then the second body portion is oriented relative to the first and fixed subsequently, providing a systematic approach to achieving complex alignments.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable body portions act as intermediaries between the pedicle screw and the rod, allowing independent adjustment of each component's orientation. This intermediary mechanism enables the transmission of forces and movements while maintaining flexibility in achieving target alignment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional connectors fix the rod in a single orientation, then the device structure is straightforward, but the system lacks the capability to correct alignment shifts due to trauma, aging, or mechanical failure
Solution Approach 1:
The connector adds rotational freedom in multiple dimensions by allowing the first and second body portions to rotate relative to each other. This multi-dimensional rotation capability enables correction of alignment shifts in various planes (sagittal, coronal, and transverse) that a single-orientation connector cannot address.
Data Source
AI summary
A construct may include a connector having a first body portion and a second body portion rotatably coupled to another. A first implant cavity may be defined, at least partly, by at least two threaded arm portions defining a first axis between the at least two threaded arm portions. The first implant cavity may include a first receiving cavity configured to adjustably orient a first rod in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first axis, and the second implant cavity may include a second receiving cavity configured to orient a second rod. In some embodiments, the threaded arm portions are configured to receive a first set screw such that when the first set screw is fully tightened along the first axis the first rod is fixed relative to the first body portion in a direction extending substantially parallel with the plane.