Spinal Interbody Implant with 3D Printed Titanium Enclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal interbody fusion implants lack optimal integration and stability during lumbar interbody fusion procedures, such as PLIF, ALIF, TLIF, and DLIF, due to limitations in bone graft retention and vertebral alignment, which can lead to suboptimal fusion rates and increased surgical complexity.
Innovation Solution
A 3-D printed titanium enclosure with meshed sidewalls and a selectively closeable back-plate, combined with a CNC machined, acid treated allograft bone graft featuring anti-migration teeth and a biomaterial window, provides enhanced stability and integration by securely locking the bone graft within the enclosure, facilitating better vertebral fusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional spinal interbody fusion implants are used, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but bone graft retention and vertebral alignment are insufficient leading to suboptimal fusion rates
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into distinct functional components: a titanium enclosure providing structural support and alignment, and a separate bone graft component containing the graft material. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to achieve reliable fusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The bone graft is contained within the titanium enclosure, creating a nested structure where the graft is protected and retained by the enclosure. This nested design ensures proper bone graft retention while maintaining a unified implant structure that improves fusion reliability.
2Reliability
If bone graft is placed in the implant, then fusion can occur, but the bone graft may migrate leading to suboptimal results
Solution Approach 1:
The bone graft is pre-loaded into the titanium enclosure before implantation. This preliminary action ensures that the bone graft is properly positioned and secured within the enclosure during manufacturing, eliminating the need for complex intraoperative graft placement procedures and preventing migration.
Solution Approach 2:
The titanium enclosure acts as an intermediary structure that holds and secures the bone graft in place. This mediator prevents direct contact and potential migration of the bone graft while providing a stable framework for fusion to occur.
3Reliability
If the implant allows vertebral alignment, then fusion can proceed, but without proper alignment mechanisms the procedure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The titanium enclosure incorporates specific geometric features and surface characteristics at critical locations to provide alignment functionality. Rather than requiring a complex overall structure, localized quality enhancements at key interfaces enable proper vertebral alignment during implantation.
Data Source
AI summary
Spinal interbody fusion implants for use in posterior lumbar interbody fusions (PLIF), anterior lumbar interbody fusions (ALIF), transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (TLIF) and transpsoas interbody fusions (DLIF), each of the implants including a 3-D printed titanium frame having meshed sidewalls, open top and bottom faces and a selectively closeable back plate for enclosing a posterior end of the frame. A machined, acid treated allograft bone graft is contained within the frame, the bone graft having a window for containing a biomaterial, anti-migration teeth and a ridge configured to mate with a slot within the frame for locking the graft in the frame.