Tapered Bone Void Plug for Precise Transcorporeal Microdecompression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transcorporeal microdecompression procedures face challenges with brittle ceramic plugs that are difficult to place and prone to fracture, and require improved instruments and methods for precise channel creation and implant insertion.
Innovation Solution
The use of a bone void plug with a tapered design and a dedicated inserter, combined with uniplanar and fixed angle drill guides, lockable depth stops, and robotics systems for navigation, to ensure precise implant placement and channel creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If brittle ceramic plugs are used to fill the vertebral body void, then the vertebral body strength is restored, but the plugs are prone to fracture and difficult to place
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from brittle ceramic to more fracture-resistant materials such as PEEK (polyetheretherketone) or metal alloys. This parameter change maintains the strength-restoring function while significantly improving fracture resistance and ease of placement, directly resolving the technical contradiction between strength restoration and reliability.
2Reliability
If a tapered side wall design is used for the implant, then migration through the channel is prevented, but the implant complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the implant with a tapered side wall where the diameter at the second end is greater than at the first end. This asymmetric geometry creates a mechanical interference fit that prevents migration through the channel, while the taper angle is optimized to balance stability with manufacturing simplicity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If a dedicated inserter with multiple sleeves and actuators is used, then precise implant insertion is achieved, but the instrument complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the nesting principle by designing the inserter with multiple sleeves (outer sleeve, middle sleeve, inner shaft) that fit concentrically within each other. This nested structure allows precise control of the implant insertion process through sequential activation of each sleeve by the actuator, achieving high placement precision while compacting the overall instrument size to manage complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inserter incorporates dynamic elements including a movable actuator that can push the middle sleeve forward and a spring mechanism that forces the tip outward when the sleeve retracts. This dynamic design enables precise control over the implant insertion and release process, achieving manufacturing precision while using mechanical motion to simplify the user interface.
4Manufacturing precision
If robotic systems and navigation are used for channel creation, then surgical precision is improved, but the procedure complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using robotic systems and navigation to pre-plan and pre-position the drilling channel trajectory before the actual drilling occurs. This allows for optimal path selection that avoids critical structures and minimizes drilling time, achieving high surgical precision while reducing overall procedure time through advance preparation.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for performing a transcorporeal microdecompression are described. The transcorporeal microdecompression may include a bone void plug allograft and specialized instruments for performing the procedure. This procedure may be performed under navigation and/or with robotic assistance.