Total Spinal Joint Motion Moderators for Alignment and Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal fusion and dynamic stabilization devices fail to effectively address spinal deformities, maintain spinal alignment, and preserve spinal mobility, leading to issues like increased wear debris, improper alignment, and adjacent segment disease.
Innovation Solution
A total spinal joint replacement system that functions as a dynamic spinal implant, replacing both the intervertebral disc and facets, restoring spinal curvature and balance, and allowing for motion preservation through a design that extends within two or three columns of the spine, with adjustable toe-in angles and orientations to match individual spinal anatomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If spinal fusion is performed to stabilize the spine and reduce pain, then spinal stability is improved, but spinal mobility is lost and adjacent segment disease increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal implant system employs a dynamic stabilization mechanism with a motion moderator that allows controlled movement between vertebrae. The motion moderator includes a ball component and socket component that enable physiological motion while providing stabilization, replacing the static fusion approach with a dynamic system that maintains both stability and mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant system changes the parameters of spinal motion by introducing a motion moderator that controls the range and type of movement. The ball and socket components allow specific degrees of freedom while restricting harmful motions, effectively changing the mechanical parameters of the spinal segment to achieve both stability and mobility.
2Ease of operation
If dynamic stabilization devices are used to maintain spinal mobility, then spinal mobility is preserved, but wear debris increases and inflammatory responses occur
Solution Approach 1:
The motion moderator employs composite material construction with the ball component and socket component made from materials designed to minimize wear. The system uses compatible material pairings that reduce friction and wear debris generation while maintaining the dynamic stabilization function and preserving spinal mobility.
3Manufacturing precision
If dynamic stabilization devices are positioned to accommodate individual lumbar lordosis, then spinal alignment is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple designs with various angulations
Solution Approach 1:
The spinal implant system is designed as a universal device that can accommodate various spinal anatomies including different lumbar lordosis angles. The motion moderator and connecting elements can be positioned and oriented to match individual patient anatomy without requiring multiple specialized designs, simplifying the device family while maintaining alignment precision.
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
The system restores spinal biomechanics, redistributes load, and maintains spinal stability and mobility, preventing adjacent segment disease by optimizing sagittal and coronal alignment without the need for multiple designs or complex instrumentation.
Implementation Method 1
the ball component of the first inferior component engages with the socket component of the first superior component to allow the first superior element to move relative to the first inferior element
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are devices, system and methods for spinal implants to be deployed into an intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae to replace the function of the intervertebral disc and the facets, while restoring stability, flexibility, coronal alignment/balance, sagittal alignment/balance and proper biomechanical motion.