Spinal Stabilization Device for Accurate Pedicle Screw Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The difficulty in accurately placing pedicle screws during spinal surgery, particularly in the cervical spine, due to the flexibility of the vertebrae, which alters the screw trajectory as force is applied, leading to reduced effectiveness and increased revision rates.
Innovation Solution
The use of a spinal stabilization device comprising a clamp and two biased rails with spikes to stabilize vertebrae, allowing for accurate alignment and fixation, and a tie-rod system between fiducial markers to maintain spinal alignment, facilitating precise screw placement without active fixation elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If force is applied to a vertebra to insert a screw, then the screw can be placed, but the vertebra moves and alters the screw trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal stabilizer is applied to the vertebra before screw insertion to pre-stabilize the vertebra in the desired position. This preliminary stabilization prevents vertebral movement during subsequent screw insertion, thereby maintaining screw placement accuracy while still allowing force to be applied for screw insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The spinal stabilizer acts as an intermediary device between the vertebra and the screw insertion process. It provides a stable reference framework that mediates the interaction between the insertion force and the vertebra, preventing the vertebra from moving and altering screw trajectory while allowing the insertion force to be applied.
2Manufacturing precision
If the cervical spine is stabilized, then screw placement accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal stabilizer is divided into multiple segments or components that can be independently applied to different vertebrae. This segmentation allows the stabilization to be achieved through simple, modular units rather than a single complex device, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The spinal stabilizer is designed to be self-aligning and self-stabilizing through its geometric configuration and material properties. The device automatically finds and maintains the correct alignment without requiring complex active control mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while improving screw placement accuracy.
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
Improves the accuracy of pedicle screw placement, reduces screw revision rates, and enhances surgical outcomes while potentially lowering costs by stabilizing vertebrae and maintaining alignment during surgery.
Implementation Method 1
The first rail and the second rail are biased toward one another with the first plurality of spikes pointing toward the second plurality of spikes
Data Source
AI summary
A number of spinal stabilization devices are disclosed for aligning and fixing vertebrae during surgery, e.g. to facilitate accurate placement of pedicle screws. One stabilization device includes a pair of spiked rails biased to clamp shut and thereby passively engage a number of vertebrae. Another stabilization device includes a tie-rod that connects two or more fiducial markers, each of which is connected to a vertebra, to stabilize the vertebrae including and between each vertebra to which the markers are attached.