Spinal Spacer with Extender for Bone Graft Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal fusion procedures are invasive, limit bone graft placement, and lack control over the delivery and placement of bone graft material, often risking neural elements due to undersized implants.
Innovation Solution
A spinal implant system comprising a spacer with sloping surfaces and a feed reservoir that allows for controlled distribution of bone graft material between vertebrae, reducing nerve root retraction and improving disc height restoration, while minimizing approach-related morbidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional cages are used for spinal fusion, then the procedure is minimally invasive, but the bone graft placement is limited to only a few cubic centimeters thus limiting the fusion area
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into distinct functional segments: a cage portion for structural support and nerve root retraction, and an extender portion that protrudes to provide additional bone graft placement area. This segmentation allows the device to accommodate larger volumes of bone graft material while maintaining a minimally invasive profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The extender portion protrudes laterally from the cage in a direction away from the spinal column, utilizing three-dimensional space that would otherwise be unavailable. This dimensional extension provides additional volume for bone graft placement without increasing the invasiveness of the surgical approach.
2Quantity of substance
If larger implants are used to increase bone graft placement, then the fusion area is improved, but the neural elements are placed at risk during placement
Solution Approach 1:
The cage is segmented into a main body portion that maintains safe distance from neural elements, and an extender portion that provides additional bone graft volume. The cage portion includes features specifically designed for nerve root retraction, while the extender portion is positioned to avoid neural structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The extender portion acts as an intermediary structure that provides additional bone graft placement volume without requiring direct manipulation near neural elements. The delivery system includes controlled delivery mechanisms that allow precise placement of bone graft material through the extender's openings, reducing the need for extensive dissection near nerves.
3Quantity of substance
If more bone graft material is placed, then the fusion area is improved, but the control over delivery and placement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system includes a funnel or reservoir that serves as an intermediary between the bone graft material source and the implant site. This intermediary structure provides controlled delivery through openings in the extender portion, allowing precise placement of bone graft material while accommodating larger volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is pre-configured with specific openings, slots, or windows in the extender portion that are designed to receive and guide bone graft material. These pre-formed structural features provide controlled pathways for bone graft delivery, ensuring precise placement while accommodating larger volumes of material.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive approaches are used, then muscle and ligament disruption is reduced, but the control over bone graft placement is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The extender portion with its specific openings and slots acts as an intermediary delivery mechanism that can be accessed through minimally invasive approaches. These structural features provide controlled pathways for bone graft material delivery without requiring extensive muscle and ligament dissection, maintaining minimally invasive benefits while improving placement control.
Data Source
AI summary
A spacer for implantation between adjacent vertebrae is provided. The spacer includes a distal end and a proximal end. The spacer also includes top and bottom surfaces spaced by sides. The top and bottom surface define a height, and the sides define a width. Each of the sides of the spacer may include a depressed region sunk into the side including a sloped surface at least toward the proximal end of the spacer. The distance between the sloped surfaces of the sides may decrease proximally to form a web having a leading edge proximate to the proximal end of the spacer. The web may be sized and configured to aid distribution of bone graft material to either side of the spacer, wherein bone graft material is supplied to a site of interest is distributed to at least one side of the spacer.