Self-Cutting Bone Screw Tip for Accurate Spinal Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bone screws face challenges in accurately inserting into the spine without turning or skiving out of the entry point, particularly in shorter lengths, and require additional instruments for preparation, which complicates the operation and may compromise fixation potential.
Innovation Solution
A bone screw design with a distal end featuring cutting edges and threads that allow for self-cutting into bone at various angles, reducing the need for additional instruments and maintaining fixation strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flute is created in the thread of the screw to form a vertical cutting edge, then initial screw insertion is improved and the need for additional equipment is reduced, but fixation potential within the boney anatomy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating cutting edges only at specific locations where needed - at the distal tip and at thread intersections - rather than modifying the entire thread structure. This localized approach provides cutting functionality at the insertion point while preserving the fixation capability of the full thread length within the bone.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting functionality is segmented into multiple discrete cutting edges distributed along the screw length - one at the distal tip and others at thread intersections. This segmentation allows the screw to cut its own path without requiring a continuous flute, thereby maintaining thread engagement and fixation potential while enabling self-cutting capability.
2Measurement precision
If additional instruments are used to prepare the entry point for correct screw placement, then insertion accuracy is improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The screw performs the function of preparing its own entry point through its self-cutting capability. The cutting edges at the distal tip and thread intersections enable the screw to cut its own path into the bone without requiring pre-drilling or other preparatory instruments, thereby achieving accurate insertion while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of entry point preparation and screw insertion into a single operation. The cutting edges integrate the cutting function directly into the screw structure, combining what would traditionally require separate instruments (drill/bit for preparation and screw for insertion) into one self-contained device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the screw length is reduced, then surgical application flexibility is improved, but fixation potential and cutting effectiveness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent concentrates cutting functionality at the distal tip and thread intersections rather than distributing it uniformly along the entire screw length. This allows shorter screws to maintain effective cutting capability and fixation potential by optimizing the local geometry at critical locations, enabling surgical flexibility without sacrificing performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Various bone screws configured to be implanted into bone and methods of use are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a bone screw is provided with an elongate shank having at least two threads thereon, and having a distal facing surface with at least two cutting edges. The cutting edges can be configured to cut bone as the bone screw is rotated into bone, thereby forming a path for the threads.