Segmented Facet Joint Implants for Minimally Invasive Distraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for spinal stenosis, such as cervical disc herniations and facet arthropathy, are invasive and alter the biomechanics of the spine, leading to long recovery times and a high incidence of re-operation, while minimally invasive options are needed to increase foraminal height and reduce radicular symptoms.
Innovation Solution
A spinal joint distraction system comprising a driver assembly, implant holder arms, an implant distractor, and a delivery device, which allows for minimally invasive distraction of facet joints using implants that remain in place to maintain separation, thereby increasing foraminal height and reducing nerve compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional invasive surgeries are performed to treat spinal stenosis, then foraminal height can be increased and nerve compression reduced, but the biomechanics of the spine are altered, leading to long recovery times and high re-operation incidence
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple independent arms (first arm, second arm, third arm, fourth arm) that can be inserted and positioned separately through minimally invasive approaches. Each arm engages the facet joint independently, allowing for staged insertion and adjustment while maintaining spinal biomechanics.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery device contains nested components including the implant arms within a tubular shaft, with the actuator positioned within the tubular shaft as well. This nested structure allows all components to be delivered through a single minimally invasive access point while maintaining their functional independence.
2Ease of operation
If minimally invasive procedures are used to increase foraminal height, then recovery time is reduced and spinal biomechanics are maintained, but the complexity of the delivery system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device combines multiple functions into a single integrated system: the tubular shaft serves as both the delivery conduit and the structure containing the actuator, while the arms are integrated with the implant body. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall delivery process despite the sophisticated functionality required.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator serves multiple functions: it advances the arms through the tubular shaft, positions them within the facet joint, and can be used to adjust the spacing between arms post-insertion. The tubular shaft itself serves as both the delivery mechanism and the housing for the actuator, demonstrating multi-functionality that reduces overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If implants are designed to maintain facet joint separation, then foraminal height is increased and nerve compression is reduced, but the implant structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The implant arms are designed with dynamic adjustment capability through the actuator mechanism, allowing the spacing between arms to be modified post-insertion. This dynamic feature enables the implant to adapt to patient-specific anatomy and surgical requirements while maintaining the primary function of joint separation through the resilient body connecting the arms.
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal joint distraction system is disclosed and may include a delivery device, a driver assembly, and an internal actuator, where the driver assembly is adapted to be hold an implant and be sleevably inserted into the delivery device and the internal actuator is adapted to advance an implant distractor to distract the implant, the system also including an implant, a chisel, an injector, a gripping tool, and a dilator set. Several embodiments of an implant are disclosed as well a method of placing an implant.