Spinal Fusion Implant Struts for Bone Growth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional interbody spinal fusion implants face challenges in facilitating rapid and uniform bone growth due to structural reinforcement needs, which often result in small openings for bone growth, reducing the cavity size for bone growth material and slowing recovery time.
Innovation Solution
The design of interbody spinal fusion implants with a unique configuration of outer and inner struts and support members that maximize the size of the cavity for bone growth material while maintaining structural integrity, featuring a network of interconnected rods and strategically placed openings to enhance bone growth both laterally and vertically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If structural reinforcement is added to prevent implant collapse, then implant strength is improved, but opening size for bone growth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The implant sidewall is segmented into multiple struts (outer struts and inner struts) spaced apart from each other. This segmentation provides structural reinforcement while maintaining large open spaces between the struts for bone growth, resolving the contradiction between strength and opening size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a second row of inner struts positioned at a different location than the outer struts, creating a multi-dimensional strut configuration. This allows the implant to achieve strength through distributed structural elements while maintaining large openings in multiple directions for bone growth.
2Productivity
If larger openings are formed for bone growth, then bone growth speed is improved, but structural reinforcement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall is divided into multiple spaced-apart struts rather than using solid walls, creating large openings between them. This segmentation enables rapid bone growth through the implant while the distributed strut configuration maintains structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant combines structural struts with a porous bone growth material filled in the cavity. This composite structure allows large openings for fast bone growth while the struts provide necessary mechanical support.
3Strength
If support structures are added to compensate for larger openings, then implant strength is improved, but cavity size is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The use of segmented struts rather than continuous support walls provides necessary structural reinforcement while minimizing the volume occupied by support structures. This maximizes the remaining cavity space for bone growth material.
Solution Approach 2:
The struts are designed as thin-walled structures that provide adequate structural support with minimal material volume, thereby preserving maximum cavity space for bone growth material while maintaining implant strength.
4Strength
If support members are added to compensate for larger openings, then implant strength is improved, but access to cavity is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented strut configuration provides structural reinforcement while maintaining large, unobstructed pathways to the cavity. The spaced-apart struts do not block access routes, allowing easy packing of bone growth material.
Solution Approach 2:
The design extracts only the essential support function into discrete struts, removing unnecessary bulk structures that would obstruct cavity access. This allows easy access to the cavity for bone growth material packing while maintaining strength through the strategic placement of struts.
Data Source
AI summary
An interbody spinal fusion implant includes a top wall, a bottom wall that is spaced apart from the top wall so that a cavity is formed therebetween, and a sidewall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall. At least a portion of the sidewall includes: a row of a plurality of spaced apart outer struts extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, and a row of a plurality of spaced apart inner struts extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, the row of inner struts being set back a distance from the row of outer struts toward the cavity.