Patient-Specific Spinal Fixation Rod Modeling for Precise Realignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the optimal three-dimensional configuration of spinal osteosynthesis rods for spinal arthrodesis operations are inaccurate and do not adequately account for individual patient morphologies, leading to variations in surgical outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving three-dimensional modeling of the patient's spine using medical imaging to determine the ideal shape of fixation rods, considering vertebral body angulations, disc angulations, and pelvic parameters, followed by digital bending to create rods that align vertebrae according to a healthy spine morphology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual bending is used during surgery, then the rod can be adapted to patient anatomy, but the accuracy and precision of the rod configuration varies greatly between operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical bending with a computer-controlled bending machine that executes pre-calculated bending parameters. The system uses software to process medical images, calculate optimal rod configuration, and control the bending machine to achieve precise rod shaping without manual intervention, thereby eliminating operator variability while maintaining anatomical adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs all rod configuration calculations and bending parameter determination before surgery using pre-operative medical images. The optimal rod configuration is calculated and the rod is bent in advance according to the specific patient's anatomy, eliminating the need for intraoperative manual bending and ensuring consistent precision
2Ease of operation
If visual estimation is used by the surgeon, then the process is simple and quick, but the accuracy of curvature determination varies greatly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual estimation with automated image processing software that calculates precise curvature parameters from medical images. The system automatically determines the optimal rod configuration based on the patient's spinal anatomy, providing measurement precision that cannot be achieved through visual estimation while maintaining ease of use through automated processing
3Manufacturing precision
If sophisticated bending systems with camera acquisition are used, then the rod configuration accuracy is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal software platform that can process various types of medical images (X-rays, CT scans, MRI) and work with different bending machine types. The software serves multiple functions including image processing, parameter calculation, and machine control, eliminating the need for specialized camera systems while achieving high precision through standardized image analysis
Data Source
AI summary
A method of designing a pair of fixation rods for implantation on a patient's spine includes: modelling the spine: determining a corrected vertebrae position; modelling the corrected spine by: realigning the vertebrae in the frontal plane, rotating the sacral plateau in the sagittal plane, modifying angulation in the sagittal plane between the adjacent plates of the discs, changing angulation between one or two vertebrae in the sagittal plane, and modifying the height of each disc; calculating a point cloud passing through the centers of the vertebral bodies; deducing two point clouds on either side of the first, spaced in the frontal plane by the width of the vertebra multiplied by X, and located in the sagittal plane at a distance equivalent to the depth of the vertebra in the sagittal plane multiplied by Y, X and Y being a function of the instrumentation connecting the rod to the spine.