Spinal Bone Implant Blade for Cortical Fixation Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spinal fixation screws rely on healthy cancellous bone for stability, which is weaker than cortical bone, leading to issues with pull-out or backing-out, especially in osteoporotic bone, and can cause injury to nearby structures.
Innovation Solution
A biocompatible implant with a shorter, wider blade that can be rotated up to 90 degrees relative to the surgical incision, providing greater resistance against pull-out or backing-out, and featuring an aperture for tissue growth and surface treatments to enhance bone attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional fixation screws are used, then they can be inserted into cancellous bone, but they lack sufficient resistance against pull-out or backing-out due to the weaker composition of cancellous bone
Solution Approach 1:
The implant features a blade with non-uniform thickness, being thickest at the center and tapering toward the edges, with the distal end being thinner than the proximal end. This localized variation in thickness optimizes structural strength where needed while reducing mass and improving insertion characteristics in other areas, thereby achieving greater pull-out resistance without proportionally increasing overall implant size or risk to surrounding structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant utilizes a composite construction combining a blade portion with an extension portion made of biocompatible material, creating a structure that optimizes both mechanical strength for anchoring in bone and biocompatibility for tissue integration. This composite approach allows the device to achieve superior holdfast strength while maintaining safety for surrounding tissues.
2Strength
If screw length is increased to provide more resistance in osteoporotic bone, then pull-out resistance may improve, but the risk of injury to nearby structures such as arteries, veins and nervous tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant employs specific dimensional parameters including a blade length of about 6mm to about 12mm and width of about 4mm to about 10mm, with the extension portion being about 2mm to about 10mm long. These optimized parameters provide sufficient anchoring strength in osteoporotic bone while limiting the overall size to reduce risk to surrounding neural and vascular structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade features an arcuate side that is wider than a diameter of the extension portion, creating a curved, non-linear geometry that optimizes bone engagement and distribution of mechanical loads. This curved design enhances pull-out resistance through improved stress distribution across the bone-implant interface while maintaining a compact overall profile that reduces risk to adjacent sensitive structures.
3Strength
If the implant blade is made wider to engage healthier cortical bone, then pull-out resistance improves, but the complexity of the insertion procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into two distinct functional segments: a blade portion for cutting and initial anchoring in bone, and an extension portion for providing additional structural support and connection points. This segmentation allows the wider blade to engage cortical bone effectively while the separate extension portion manages the complexity of securing the implant, simplifying the overall insertion and fixation process.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an implant for bone. The current implant is particularly useful in spinal surgical procedures.