Spinal Implants Altering Biomechanics via Tissue Displacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical treatments for spinal disorders often involve invasive procedures with significant morbidity and failure rates, and fail to address the underlying biomechanical issues causing the disorders, instead only alleviating symptoms.

Innovation Solution

The use of selectively placed implants to displace targeted connective and muscle tissues surrounding the vertebrae, altering force vectors and moment arms to achieve therapeutic effects without cutting bone or causing significant trauma to connective tissues, thereby realigning force distribution within the spine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current surgical treatments (laminectomy, fusion, nerve ablation) are used to treat spinal disorders, then symptoms like pain are alleviated, but surgical morbidity is significant and underlying biomechanical issues are not addressed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic effectivenessVSAvoidsurgical morbidity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary device (implant or prosthesis) placed in the spinal canal that acts as a mediator to redirect and redistribute mechanical forces. This intermediary structure allows force vectors to be realigned without direct bone cutting or tissue destruction, thereby treating the underlying biomechanical cause while avoiding the high morbidity of traditional surgeries like laminectomy or fusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces aggressive mechanical surgical interventions (bone removal, fusion, nerve ablation) with a less invasive mechanical system involving implants that redirect force vectors. Instead of using surgery to physically alter or remove structures, the new system uses strategically placed implants to substitute the mechanical force distribution, achieving therapeutic effects through force realignment rather than tissue destruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If traditional surgical procedures are performed to address spinal disorders, then some therapeutic effect is achieved, but the underlying cause (unstable spine biomechanics) is not addressed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesymptom reliefVSAvoidaddressing underlying biomechanical cause

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by strategically placing implants or prostheses in specific locations within the spinal canal before any potential biomechanical failure occurs. These implants are positioned to preemptively redirect force vectors and stabilize spine biomechanics, preventing further degeneration or instability rather than merely responding to established problems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the mechanical parameters of force distribution within the spine by introducing implants that alter force vectors, moment arms, and loading patterns. By modifying these biomechanical parameters through strategic implant placement, the system addresses the root cause of spinal disorders (unstable biomechanics) rather than just treating symptoms, enabling the spine to adapt to new, healthier mechanical conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If invasive surgical procedures are used to treat spinal disorders, then structural changes are made to the spine, but connective tissues suffer significant trauma

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespinal structureVSAvoidconnective tissue trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by placing implants in specific localized regions of the spinal canal where they can most effectively redirect force vectors without affecting surrounding connective tissues. Rather than performing widespread surgical intervention, the implants are strategically positioned to locally modify force distribution, achieving structural stabilization while minimizing trauma to ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The implant acts as an intermediary structure that bears and redirects mechanical forces away from vulnerable connective tissues. By introducing this intermediate element, the system protects ligaments and soft tissues from the traumatic effects of direct surgical manipulation and abnormal force loading, allowing structural stabilization without significant soft tissue damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10898237B2Method and apparatus for altering biomechanics of the spine

Publication Date: 2021.01.26 THE FOUNDRY LLC

AI summary

Pathology of the human spine can arise from excessive and/or uneven loading of regions within the spinal vertebrae and the intervertebral disc. Methods and apparatus are disclosed that enable displacement of soft tissue around the spine in a less invasive manner, thereby altering the mechanical load distribution within the spine to achieve a therapeutic effect.