Spinal Alignment Clip for Cervical Plate Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal surgery methods lack a reliable means for ensuring accurate alignment and temporary fixation of cervical plates during procedures, leading to potential malpositioning and increased risk of patient discomfort, clinical issues, and revision surgeries.
Innovation Solution
An instrument system featuring a clip that temporarily centers, aligns, and positions the plate to the interbody cage, allowing for perpendicularity and micromotion, eliminating the need for temporary fixation pins and enabling optimal plate placement without plate migration before bone screw insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If temporary fixation pins are used to secure the plate, then the plate can be temporarily secured in position, but the procedure becomes more invasive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for separate temporary fixation pins by integrating the alignment and temporary securing function directly into the alignment clip itself. The clip's arms engage with the cage and plate to provide both alignment and temporary fixation in a single device, eliminating the need for additional pins and reducing procedural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment clip serves multiple functions: it aligns the plate to the cage, temporarily secures the plate in position, and provides a reference for drilling guide placement. This multi-functional design replaces what would otherwise require separate instruments, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Measurement precision
If C-arm x-ray equipment is used to verify plate alignment, then alignment can be assessed, but the process time increases and false impressions may occur due to off-axis positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment clip establishes correct plate-to-cage alignment before final plate fixation, providing a preliminary mechanical assurance of proper positioning. This preliminary alignment action reduces or eliminates the need for repeated C-arm verification, saving time and avoiding false impressions from off-axis imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment clip provides self-verifying alignment through its mechanical engagement with the cage and plate, creating a self-aligning system that does not require external imaging verification. The clip's geometry and engagement features inherently ensure proper alignment, making the system self-sufficient for alignment verification.
3Ease of manufacture
If the plate is malpositioned, then fixation may be achieved, but patient discomfort and clinical issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment clip performs preliminary alignment of the plate to the cage before final fixation, ensuring correct positioning is established upfront. This preliminary alignment action prevents malpositioning that would lead to patient discomfort and clinical complications, while maintaining simple fixation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment clip acts as an intermediary device between the cage and plate, mediating their relative positioning to ensure proper alignment. This intermediary mechanism guarantees correct spatial relationship, preventing harmful malpositioning while allowing straightforward fixation without complex adjustment procedures.
4Measurement precision
If drill guides are used with the cervical plate, then accurate screw placement is enabled, but the procedure requires additional instruments and steps
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment clip integrates the alignment function with the temporary fixation function, combining what would otherwise require separate drill guide instruments into a single device. The clip's structure provides both alignment references and temporary securing, eliminating the need for additional drill guide instrumentation while maintaining screw placement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment clip serves as a multi-functional instrument that provides alignment, temporary fixation, and reference for screw placement without requiring separate specialized drill guides. This universal device reduces instrumentation requirements while maintaining the precision needed for accurate screw placement.
Data Source
AI summary
An instrument system for performing spinal surgery that helps provide optimal plate selection as well as an improved temporary alignment and retention means, without the need to penetrate the vertebral bodies with temporary fixation pins. The instrument system of the present invention has a clip that possesses features that temporarily center, align and position the plate to the interbody cage. This clip mates with the cage by hugging the outside parameters of the cage, as well as within the window (central through-hole) of the cervical plate.