Spinal Anchoring Device Curved Plate Flexible Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current spinal implant systems face challenges with stability, invasivity, and ease of removal, particularly due to the risk of damaging vertebrae and surrounding tissues, and the need for reliable anchoring devices that are compact and efficient in minimizing invasivity while ensuring secure attachment and easy ablation.

Innovation Solution

The development of a spinal implant system featuring a bone anchoring device with a stiff, curved plate design that penetrates into the vertebra, incorporating a locking mechanism with flexible portions for secure engagement and a hooking-up means for easy removal, allowing for reliable attachment with reduced risk of vertebrae damage and improved invasivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the bone anchoring device penetrates deeply into the vertebra to ensure proper attachment, then the stability and reliability of the spinal implant is improved, but the risk of damaging blood vessels, nerves, and surrounding tissues increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoiddamage to surrounding tissues
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring device features a curved body that follows the natural anatomy of the vertebra, allowing it to engage securely with the vertebral bone structure without requiring excessive penetration depth. The curved geometry enables the device to wrap around or conform to the vertebral surface, providing reliable attachment while maintaining a safer distance from critical structures such as the spinal cord and blood vessels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the bone anchoring device is made compact to limit invasivity, then the risk to surrounding tissues is reduced, but the attachment stability and anchoring strength may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveinvasivityVSAvoidattachment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring device utilizes a three-dimensional engagement strategy rather than relying solely on deep penetration in one direction. The device incorporates features that engage with the vertebra in multiple dimensions - including surface contact area, angular orientation, and distributed loading points - thereby achieving stable attachment with a more compact overall profile that minimizes invasivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If the bone anchoring device is made stiff to ensure reliable attachment, then the attachment strength is improved, but the risk of fracturing the vertebra during impaction increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment strengthVSAvoidvertebra fracture risk
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring device incorporates dynamic characteristics that allow it to adapt during the implantation process. The device may include flexible or compliant portions that enable controlled deformation during impaction, absorbing impact forces and reducing the risk of vertebral fracture. Once implanted, the device maintains sufficient stiffness to provide reliable attachment, demonstrating different mechanical properties during different phases of the procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If additional osteosynthesis bars and plates are used to immobilize vertebrae and prevent cage movement, then the implant stability is improved, but the invasivity and complexity of the surgical procedure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplant stabilityVSAvoidsurgical complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchoring device integrates multiple functions into a single component, combining the roles of direct vertebral anchoring, implant stabilization, and potentially even lordosis positioning. By merging these functions into one device rather than requiring separate osteosynthesis bars and plates, the system reduces surgical complexity while maintaining implant stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides enhanced stability and reliability of spinal implants with reduced invasivity and ease of removal, minimizing the risk of damaging vertebrae and surrounding tissues, while ensuring secure attachment and efficient surgical procedures.

Implementation Method 1

the locking means being provided with at least one flexible portion allowing said abutment of the locking means to be pushed back for inserting the anchoring device into the passage, on the one hand, and mutual engagement of both abutments when they are found facing each other, by the elastic return of the flexible portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3099272B1Anchoring device for a spinal implant, spinal implant and implantation instrumentation
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 LDR MEDICAL SAS
  • EP3099272B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1D
  • EP3099272B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2D
  • EP3099272B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3F

AI summary

The present invention relates to an anchoring device (1) for a rachidian implant (2), to an implant (2), to surgical instrumentation for the latter and to a rachidian surgery system, the anchoring device (1) comprising at least one stiff plate (10) with a longitudinal axis, configured so that its anterior end penetrates into at least one vertebral surface while its posterior end remains in a passage of the implant (2), characterized in that the implant (2) includes at least one means (3) for locking the device (1) relative to the implant (2) and in that the anchoring device (1) includes at least one abutment (14), said locking means (3) at least one flexible portion (30) and at least one abutment (31 ), cooperating with said abutment (14) of the device (1), the insertion of the anchoring device (1) into the passage allowing said abutment (31) of the locking means (3) to be pushed back by the flexibility of said flexible portion (30) which also allows mutual engagement of both abutments (14, 31) when they are found facing each other, by the elastic return of the flexible portion (30).