Expandable Spinal Implant With Pivoting Endplates for Bone Graft Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable interbody devices inhibit the introduction of bone growth promoting materials due to internal mechanisms, and they often suffer from subsidence issues due to inadequately-sized load-bearing surfaces.
Innovation Solution
An expandable spinal implant with a frame and pivotally engaged endplates that expand outward upon movement of a plug, allowing access to an interior portion for bone growth promoting materials and featuring a design that avoids subsidence by distributing load effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing expandable interbody devices use internal mechanisms for expansion, then the implant can be introduced in a collapsed state and expanded to provide spacing, but the internal mechanisms inhibit the introduction of bone growth promoting material into the implant
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into a frame structure and separable endplates that can be independently positioned. The endplates are connected to the frame via pivot pins that allow controlled movement, creating segmented components that can be assembled and configured separately before final assembly in the interbody space.
Solution Approach 2:
The endplates are designed to be dynamically adjustable relative to the frame through the pivot pin mechanism. The endplates can pivot between engaged and disengaged positions, allowing the implant to transition from a collapsed insertion state to an expanded functional state where bone growth material can be introduced.
2Strength
If existing interbody devices have fixed size load-bearing surfaces, then the implant structure is simple, but the surface area is inadequately-sized causing subsidence of spinal surfaces under expansion loads
Solution Approach 1:
The endplates are designed to be dynamically adjustable relative to the frame through the pivot pin mechanism. The endplates can pivot between engaged and disengaged positions, allowing the implant to transition from a collapsed insertion state to an expanded functional state where bone growth material can be introduced.
3Area of stationary object
If the implant is designed to expand significantly to increase load-bearing surface area, then subsidence is avoided, but the implant becomes more complex and harder to implant
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into a frame structure and separable endplates that can be independently positioned. The endplates are connected to the frame via pivot pins that allow controlled movement, creating segmented components that can be assembled and configured separately before final assembly in the interbody space.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is designed to be inserted in a collapsed or partially collapsed state, with the endplates positioned close to the frame. The expansion to increase load-bearing surface area is performed after insertion, allowing the implant to be introduced through narrow corridors and then expanded to the required size at the surgical site.
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable spinal implant includes a plug movably disposed in a distal aperture and an interior portion of a frame. The plug may be configured for movement from a first position to a second position. The plug may include a plug proximal end, an opposite plug distal end, a body portion, and a head portion extending from the body portion to the plug distal end. Movement of the plug from the first position to the second position, and corresponding interaction of a head portion with a first endplate portion may causes the first endplate portion and a first distal end portion to move away from the frame and interaction of the head portion with a second endplate portion may cause the second endplate portion and a second distal end portion to move away from the frame to move the implant from a collapsed position to an expanded position.