Sequential Dilation Instruments for Minimally Invasive Spinal Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional open spinal surgeries cause significant trauma to tissues, leading to prolonged recovery times, pain, and tissue destruction, while existing minimally invasive techniques are cumbersome due to sequential dilation processes that prolong surgery time and complicate access to deep body locations.
Innovation Solution
A surgical dilator system that uses an initial dilator to guide a pathway to the bone, with additional dilators increasing the pathway size, and a retractor to maintain access, minimizing tissue retraction and simplifying the procedure by reducing the number of dilation steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional open surgical procedures are used to access deep body locations, then the surgical objective can be achieved, but significant trauma to intervening tissues occurs leading to prolonged recovery time and pain
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical access system is divided into multiple sequential components: initial dilator, sequential dilators of increasing diameter, and retractor. Each component performs a specific function in the access creation process, allowing progressive tissue separation without requiring large incisions or extensive muscle stripping.
Solution Approach 2:
The initial dilator is inserted first to create a pilot pathway through the tissue before larger dilators are introduced. This preliminary action establishes a safe track that guides subsequent larger dilators, preventing uncontrolled tissue damage and enabling minimally invasive access to deep spinal structures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sequential dilation processes are used to minimize tissue retraction, then post-operative recovery time is reduced, but the number of dilation steps increases prolonging surgery time
Solution Approach 1:
The dilators are designed with nested configurations where smaller dilators fit inside larger ones, and all dilators can be stacked within the retractor housing. This nesting allows multiple dilators to be pre-positioned and rapidly deployed in sequence, reducing the time required for each dilation step while maintaining the minimally invasive benefit of progressive tissue separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor serves multiple functions: it houses and organizes the nested dilators, provides a handle for manipulation, and maintains the final surgical access pathway. This multi-functionality consolidates several tools into one device, streamlining the surgical process and reducing overall procedure time.
Data Source
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AI summary
Devices, systems and methods for dilating tissue of a patient during a minimally invasive surgical procedure is disclosed. A surgical dilation system includes a dilator having an elongated, non-cannulated cylindrical body extending between a first end and an opposite second end. The first end includes a first beveled configuration and the second end includes a second, different beveled configuration. The beveled ends can include surface features to provide tissue removal and to enhance engagement with bony tissue.