Spinal Bone Screw with Porous Compression Ring for Tissue Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal implant systems face challenges in achieving sufficient fixation strength and promoting bony integration, particularly in treating spinal disorders such as kyphosis, scoliosis, and degenerative disc disease, where existing technologies often fail to provide stable alignment and bone fusion effectively.
Innovation Solution
A spinal implant system comprising a bone screw with an external thread and a compression ring featuring a coarse, porous surface designed to enhance tissue integration and prevent screw toggle, fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques, which can be coated with biologic agents like hydroxyapatite to promote bony growth and integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a smooth surface is used on the spinal implant, then manufacturing is easier, but tissue on-growth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal implant incorporates a porous outer surface configuration that enables tissue ingrowth and on-growth. This porous structure provides mechanical interlocking with surrounding bone tissue, significantly enhancing fixation strength while maintaining manufacturability through established porous material fabrication techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant features differentiated surface qualities: a smooth inner surface for easy manufacturing and assembly, and a coarse/porous outer surface for enhanced tissue integration. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying surface complexity only where it provides functional benefit.
2Strength
If a coarse surface configuration is applied to promote tissue on-growth, then fixation strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant utilizes a porous outer surface configuration that promotes tissue on-growth while maintaining structural integrity. The porous architecture provides increased surface area for bone ingrowth and mechanical interlocking, enhancing fixation strength without requiring overly complex geometries that would complicate manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant may incorporate composite material structures combining different phases or materials with distinct properties - a dense core for structural strength and a porous outer layer for tissue integration. This composite approach achieves both strong fixation and manageable manufacturing complexity.
3Strength
If biologic agents like hydroxyapatite are coated on the implant, then bony integration is enhanced, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biologic coating agents such as hydroxyapatite are applied during the manufacturing process before implantation. This preliminary action ensures the bioactive surface layer is already in place when the implant is implanted, eliminating the need for additional surgical coating steps and reducing overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous surface structure serves as an ideal substrate for biologic coating agents. The high surface area and interconnected pore structure of the porous layer enhance coating adherence and provide pathways for bone ingrowth, synergistically improving bony integration while the porous structure itself can be fabricated using established techniques.
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
The system significantly improves fixation strength and facilitates bony integration, reducing the risk of screw toggle and enhancing bone fusion, thereby providing a more stable and effective treatment for spinal disorders.
Implementation Method 1
an outer surface, at least a portion of the outer surface having a coarse configuration to promote tissue on-growth with the outer surface
Implementation Method 2
at least a portion of the outer surface having a porous layer to promote tissue on-growth with the outer surface
Data Source
AI summary
A bone screw includes a shaft including at least one thread having an external thread form and an implant receiver. A ring includes a mating surface engageable with the implant receiver and an outer surface, at least a portion of the outer surface having a coarse configuration to promote tissue on-growth with the outer surface. In some embodiments, systems, spinal constructs, surgical instruments and methods are disclosed.