Spine Immobilization Tool Screwless Vertebral Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal fixation techniques using screws can cause damage to blood vessels or nerves due to incorrect insertion and apply excessive mechanical stress between vertebrae, leading to additional lesions such as spondylolisthesis and herniated disks.
Innovation Solution
A spine immobilization tool with a covering portion and joint portion that securely attaches to multiple vertebrae without screws, using close-contact surfaces shaped to conform to the vertebral arches, and a joint that allows adjustable mobility to prevent excessive stress, potentially incorporating osteoinductive matrices for bone integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spinal fixation screws are used to fix individual vertebrae, then the spine can be stabilized, but there is a risk of damage to blood vessels or nerves due to incorrect insertion position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spinal fixation screw component entirely from the system. Instead of using screws that penetrate and anchor into the vertebrae (which risk damaging blood vessels or nerves), the invention uses a screwless fixation mechanism where covering portions wrap around and secure to the external surface of the vertebral arch, eliminating the harmful insertion action while maintaining stabilization function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a covering portion as an intermediary element that mediates between the fixation device and the vertebra. This covering portion wraps around the vertebral arch and provides a secure attachment surface without requiring direct penetration into the bone, thus avoiding damage to internal structures while achieving reliable fixation
2Reliability
If spinal fixation screws are used to fix the spine, then individual vertebrae can be stabilized, but mechanical stress occurs between adjacent vertebrae causing additional lesions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the joint portion movable rather than rigid. The joint portion allows controlled relative movement between adjacent covering portions, enabling the spine to maintain natural flexibility and absorb mechanical stress through controlled motion rather than creating rigid stress concentration points that would cause additional lesions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the connection between vertebrae from rigid (fixed screw connection) to flexible (movable joint portion). This parameter change allows the system to adapt to physiological movements and reduce mechanical stress concentration, preventing additional lesions while maintaining adequate stabilization
Data Source
AI summary
A spine immobilization tool that can control the movement of the spine with improved safety as a spine immobilization tool that includes a first covering portion, a second covering portion, and a joint portion. The first covering portion covers at least a part of a vertebral arch of a vertebra at a head-side among the adjacent vertebrae, and thus can be fixed to the vertebra. The second covering portion covers at least a part of a vertebral arch of a vertebra at a buttock side amongst the adjacent vertebrae, and thus can be fixed to the vertebra. The joint portion couples the first covering portion and the second covering portion together while allowing changing relative positions of the first covering portion and the second covering portion.