Trocar-Guided Flexible Needle Delivery to Disc Endplates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) require multiple needle insertions, including drilling through bone, which increases patient trauma and surgical risk, particularly in patients with osteoporosis, due to the challenge of delivering therapeutic agents to the nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and adjacent cartilaginous endplates and subchondral bone regions.
Innovation Solution
A novel trocar-based device with a hollow introducer needle and a flexible needle allows for a single insertion into the intervertebral disc, enabling delivery of therapeutic agents to the nucleus pulposus, cartilaginous endplates, and subchondral bone regions through a single entry point, reducing the need for additional bone drilling and minimizing patient trauma.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple needle insertions including bone drilling are used to deliver therapeutic agents to the nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and adjacent cartilaginous endplates and subchondral bone regions, then treatment coverage is improved, but patient trauma and surgical risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a nested structure where an inner flexible needle with therapeutic delivery capability is inserted through an outer hollow introducer needle. This allows the therapeutic agent to be delivered through the same access point that was used to reach the target tissue, eliminating the need for separate bone drilling procedures and reducing patient trauma while maintaining comprehensive treatment coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow introducer needle serves multiple functions: it acts as both the access tool to reach the target tissue and the delivery vehicle for the therapeutic agent. This multi-functional design consolidates what would traditionally require separate procedures (access and treatment) into a single integrated operation, reducing surgical risk and patient trauma
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a single insertion is used to deliver therapeutic agents to multiple anatomical regions, then patient trauma is reduced, but delivery precision to specific regions may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The inner needle is designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to be dynamically positioned and maneuvered within the intervertebral disc and adjacent regions after insertion. This flexibility enables the practitioner to precisely target different anatomical regions (nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, cartilaginous endplates, subchondral bone) from a single access point, maintaining delivery precision while reducing patient trauma
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow introducer needle acts as an intermediary that provides a stable access pathway through which the flexible inner needle can be maneuvered. This intermediary structure allows the flexible needle to reach precise target locations while being guided and constrained by the more rigid outer needle, ensuring both precision and reduced trauma
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for treating joint degeneration (e.g., intervertebral disc degeneration) are provided. An example method may comprise: (1) advancing a tip of an introducer needle into a nucleus pulpous of an intervertebral disc; (2) with the tip of the introducer needle in the nucleus pulpous, maneuvering, out of the tip of the introducer needle, a tip of a flexible needle into a region of a cartilaginous endplate (CEP) of the intervertebral disc; and (3) delivering, from an aperture of the flexible needle, therapeutic to the region of the CEP.