Tissue Retractor Assembly for Spinal Fusion Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments face challenges in achieving precise alignment and secure fixation of spinal rods during minimally invasive spinal fusion procedures, particularly when vertebrae are out of alignment and under minimally invasive access conditions.
Innovation Solution
A tissue retractor assembly is developed, comprising an access retractor body, anchor blades, and a secondary retractor, which anchors to anatomical landmarks to establish and maintain an operative corridor. The assembly includes movable arms and a splay unit for adjustable blade splay, allowing for precise alignment and distraction of the disc space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive access is used for spinal fusion, then muscle stripping and incision length are reduced, but alignment precision of the rod with the rod channel becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor assembly performs preliminary action by first establishing and maintaining an operative corridor through soft tissue retraction before the spinal rod is inserted. This preliminary retraction creates a stable, aligned pathway that guides subsequent rod placement, ensuring precise alignment with the rod channel even under minimally invasive conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractor assembly acts as an intermediary tool between the surgeon and the spinal anatomy. It provides a mechanical intermediary structure that maintains the operative corridor and facilitates precise rod alignment, bridging the gap between minimally invasive access requirements and the need for precise alignment.
2Ease of operation
If vertebrae are out of alignment, then surgical access is simplified, but the difficulty of aligning the rod with the rod channel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor assembly incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through movable arms and a splay unit that allows adjustable blade splay. This dynamic structure enables the retractor to adapt to varying vertebral alignments and maintain the operative corridor despite out-of-alignment conditions, facilitating rod alignment while preserving surgical access ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The splay unit allows change in the angular parameter of the retractor blades relative to the vertebral anatomy. By adjusting the blade splay angle, the retractor can compensate for vertebral misalignment and maintain optimal alignment for rod insertion, resolving the contradiction between ease of access and alignment precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If the retractor assembly includes movable arms and splay unit for adjustable blade splay, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractor assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a body portion, movable arms, and a splay unit. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while working together to achieve precise alignment, managing complexity through modular functional division.
Data Source
AI summary
This application describes a surgical retractor and related methods for providing access to a surgical target site for the purpose performing minimally invasive spinal fusion across one or more segments of the spinal column.