Spinal Rod Locking Holder with Sprocket Pawl Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal fixation procedures lack a minimally invasive method to accurately deliver and align spinal rods with pedicle screws while maintaining proper alignment, which is crucial for minimizing patient pain and recovery time, especially in cases of spinal disorders and osteoporosis.
Innovation Solution
A spinal rod locking holder with a sprocket assembly and locking mechanism that includes a pawl system, allowing for the radial fixation and rotation of the spinal rod within the locking holder, enabling precise alignment and secure attachment to pedicle screws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional spinal fixation procedures are used to deliver and align spinal rods with pedicle screws, then the alignment can be achieved, but the procedure is not minimally invasive and requires larger incisions and more extensive tissue disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The locking holder employs a nested structure where the sprocket assembly is positioned within the outer body, and the spinal rod is held within the hexagonal opening of the sprocket assembly. This nested configuration allows the alignment tool to be delivered through a minimally invasive approach while maintaining the precision needed for rod alignment with pedicle screws.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking holder serves as an intermediary device between the surgeon and the spinal rod alignment process. By introducing this specialized tool with its sprocket and pawl mechanism, the procedure can be performed minimally invasively while achieving precise rod alignment that would otherwise require more extensive open surgery.
2Reliability
If the spinal rod is secured with traditional fixation methods, then stability is achieved, but the procedure causes increased patient pain and longer recovery time
Solution Approach 1:
The sprocket assembly is constructed with multiple identical sprocket sections (at least two, preferably three) that are substantially identical in structure and function. This homogeneity ensures uniform distribution of forces during rod alignment and securation, providing reliable spinal fixation while minimizing tissue trauma through the efficient, standardized mechanism.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pawl engages the sprocket sections to radially fix them, then the spinal rod alignment is stabilized, but the rotation capability is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism incorporates dynamic elements where the moveable handle can be positioned in different states (compressed and released). When released, the pawl is disengaged from the sprocket sections, allowing free rotation for alignment. When compressed, the pawl engages to provide radial fixation and stabilize the alignment. This dynamic switching between flexible and stable states resolves the contradiction between rotation capability and alignment stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates minimally invasive spinal rod alignment and attachment, allowing for precise orientation and stabilization of the spinal rod, reducing procedural pain and recovery time by enabling controlled rotation and fixation of the rod relative to the bone anchor.
Implementation Method 1
The pawl is configured to engage the outer surface of the sprocket sections to radially fix the sprocket sections relative to the outer body
Data Source
AI summary
A spinal rod locking holder includes an outer body, a handle assembly at a proximal end of the outer body, a locking assembly within a distal portion of the outer body, and a sprocket assembly at the distal end of the outer body. The handle assembly includes a moveable handle operatively associated with the sprocket assembly to selectively engage and release an end of a spinal rod. The locking assembly including a bearing operatively associated with a pawl such that when the moveable handle is compressed the bearing extends the pawl into contact with an outer surface of the sprocket assembly. The sprocket assembly including sprocket sections configured to compress against the end of the spinal rod when the pawl engages the outer surface of the sprocket assembly.