Spinal Fusion Device Stabilizing Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal fusion devices require bone-to-bone union for mechanical stability, which can be slow and may not provide immediate stability, and they often have internal cavities that do not effectively engage with growing bone tissue for enhanced support.
Innovation Solution
A device with stabilizing arrangements that allow bone growth through, around, or onto the device, providing early mechanical stability without the need for bone-to-bone union, featuring configurations such as inclined surfaces, profiles, and protrusions within an internal cavity to facilitate ingrowth and ongrowth, thereby securing the device to the bone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional interbody fusion devices are used, then bone-to-bone union is required for mechanical stability, but this process is slow and does not provide immediate stability
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates stabilizing arrangements (protrusions, ridges, or other engagement features) that are pre-configured to engage with growing bone tissue from the outset. This preliminary structural preparation allows bone to mechanically engage with the device immediately upon implantation, providing early stability before complete bone-to-bone union is achieved, thereby resolving the contradiction between requiring bone-to-bone union for stability and the time delay inherent in that process
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizing arrangements act as intermediary engagement features between the device and the growing bone tissue. These features (protrusions, ridges, or other structures extending into the cavity) serve as intermediate points of contact that facilitate mechanical engagement between the device and bone, enabling stability to be achieved through bone-device interaction rather than requiring direct bone-to-bone union, thus reducing the time to achieve stability
2Ease of manufacture
If internal cavities are used in fusion devices, then bone graft material can be deposited, but the cavities do not effectively engage with growing bone tissue for enhanced support
Solution Approach 1:
The internal cavity is segmented into functional zones: a graft reception area for bone graft material deposition and separate stabilizing arrangements (protrusions, ridges, or engagement features) that extend into the cavity to interact with growing bone tissue. This segmentation allows the cavity to serve dual purposes - accommodating graft material while simultaneously providing mechanical engagement features that enhance bone-tissue interaction and support, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and effective bone engagement
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the internal cavity are given different local qualities: the graft reception area is configured to accommodate bone graft material, while the stabilizing arrangements (protrusions, ridges, or other features) are configured to engage with growing bone tissue. This local differentiation ensures that each region performs its specific function optimally - the cavity facilitates graft placement while the stabilizing features provide effective bone engagement, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and bone engagement effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
A device adapted to be positioned between two bone regions, the device comprising a body having a stabilising arrangement configured such that bone growing from one bone region toward the other engages the stabilising arrangement of the device.