Percutaneous Spinal Implant with Segmented Expandable Struts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive spinal procedures for treating spinal stenosis are not suitable for cases with severely compressed spinous processes and often require large or multiple incisions, leading to increased complications and hospital stays.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with an elongate member that can be deformed from a first to a second configuration, featuring a non-expanding central portion to engage adjacent spinous processes, and an expansion mechanism using a guide shaft, actuator, and clamps to stabilize the spinous processes without significant expansion, allowing for percutaneous insertion and expansion between spinous processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical decompression is performed to treat spinal stenosis, then the spinal canal can be widened to relieve pressure on the spinal cord, but the procedure requires large incisions, general anesthesia, and results in extended hospital stays with increased complications
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple expandable segments or struts that can be independently deployed and adjusted. This segmentation allows the device to be inserted through a small percutaneous incision in a compressed state, then expanded within the spinal canal to achieve decompression without requiring a large surgical incision
Solution Approach 2:
The implant features an expandable structure that transitions from a compressed insertion configuration to an expanded deployment configuration. This dynamic transformation enables the device to pass through small incisions while achieving the volume and structural support needed for effective spinal canal decompression
2Ease of operation
If minimally invasive procedures are used to access the space between adjacent spinous processes, then major surgery is avoided, but the procedures are not suitable when spinous processes are severely compressed and require large or multiple incisions
Solution Approach 1:
The implant structure employs a nested configuration where expandable struts or segments are contained within one another in a compressed state for percutaneous insertion. Once positioned between the spinous processes, the nested elements are deployed outward to achieve the necessary expansion for stabilizing severely compressed spinous processes without requiring large incisions
3Reliability
If an expandable implant is used to stabilize spinous processes, then effective decompression can be achieved, but the implant may expand beyond the desired location causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the implant have different mechanical properties - the central portion is designed to be non-expanding or less expandable to maintain positional stability and prevent migration, while the end portions are designed to be expandable to achieve decompression and stabilize the spinous processes. This local differentiation of expansion characteristics resolves the contradiction between achieving decompression and maintaining position stability
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes an elongate member having a portion configured to be deformed from a first configuration to a second configuration. In one variation, the apparatus includes an outer body, having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, and an inner body. A portion of the outer body is configured to be disposed between adjacent spinous processes. The inner body is disposed within the interior region of the outer body. The inner body has an outer surface in slidable contact with an inner surface of the outer body.