Screw Insertion Instrument with Integrated Rod Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments face challenges in easily and reliably inserting bone screws and aligning spinal rods during complex spine surgeries, particularly in cases like scoliosis and minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A screw insertion instrument with a housing, knob, drive shaft, and screw alignment post, which facilitates the insertion of bone screws into vertebral bodies and the reduction of spinal rods into the screw's saddle, featuring a handle and a rod reduction device that can be removably attached for precise alignment and engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional surgical instruments are used for bone screw insertion and rod alignment, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the alignment precision and ease of operation are insufficient in complex spine cases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the bone screw insertion instrument and rod alignment function into a single integrated system. The housing contains both the drive shaft for screw insertion and the alignment mechanism for rod positioning, allowing simultaneous execution of both functions with one instrument rather than requiring separate tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves as an intermediary structure that coordinates between the bone screw insertion action and the rod alignment requirement. It provides a unified interface that translates the surgeon's operational inputs into both insertion and alignment actions, simplifying the surgical workflow.
2Productivity
If separate instruments are used for bone screw insertion and rod reduction, then each function can be performed independently, but the overall device complexity and procedural time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is designed with multi-functionality, capable of both inserting bone screws and aligning spinal rods within a single device. The housing accommodates both the drive shaft for screw insertion and the alignment mechanism for rod positioning, eliminating the need for multiple separate instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges previously separate functions into one unified instrument. The bone screw insertion and rod alignment capabilities are combined in a single housing structure, reducing the number of instrument changes and steps required during surgery.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex alignment mechanisms are added to improve rod reduction precision, then alignment accuracy improves, but the ease of operation and device simplicity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment mechanism is merged with the insertion instrument housing, creating a unified system where alignment and insertion occur through coordinated motion of integrated components rather than through complex separate mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A screw insertion instrument includes a housing, a knob, a drive shaft, and a screw alignment post. The housing includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, and the proximal portion includes a proximal body portion defining a channel extending longitudinally therethrough along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The knob is coupled to the proximal portion of the housing and defines an aperture therethrough that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing. The drive shaft extends through the aperture of the knob and the proximal portion of the housing. The screw alignment post is coupled to the distal portion of the housing and is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing.