Variable Angle Spinal Implant System for Lordosis Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical treatments for spinal disorders such as degenerative spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, and stenosis often fail to provide consistent and stable correction of spinal alignment, leading to issues like kyphosis and vertebral deformity, as existing methods lack effective solutions for maintaining lordosis and preventing implant backout.

Innovation Solution

A spinal implant system with variable angle screw fixation, including a hyper-lordotic cage and anti-backout screws with poly-axial and multi-axial capabilities, which allows for adjustable lordosis correction and stabilization without complete pedicle-subtraction osteotomy, using screws that lock into place upon posterior compression to prevent backout.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional spinal fixation methods are used, then spinal alignment can be corrected, but the correction is inconsistent and unstable, leading to kyphosis and vertebral deformity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of spinal alignment correctionVSAvoidmaintenance of lordosis
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic screws with poly-axial and multi-axial capabilities that allow for adjustment and adaptation to maintain lordosis. The screws can lock into place upon posterior compression, providing dynamic stabilization rather than rigid fixed positioning, which resolves the contradiction between achieving correction and maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes variable angle screw fixation that allows adjustment of lordosis correction from 4 to 40 degrees. This parameter variability enables the system to adapt to different spinal regions and correction needs, providing consistent and stable alignment maintenance that traditional fixed-angle methods cannot achieve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If traditional screw fixation is used, then spinal stabilization is achieved, but implant backout occurs leading to treatment failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespinal stabilizationVSAvoidimplant backout
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates anti-backout screw design with preliminary locking mechanisms that prevent the harmful action of implant backout before it can occur. The screws are designed with features that actively counteract the tendency to backout, such as locking into place upon posterior compression, thereby eliminating the harmful effect while maintaining stabilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Manufacturing precision

If complete pedicle-subtraction osteotomy is performed, then severe kyphosis can be corrected, but the surgical complexity and risk increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvekyphosis correctionVSAvoidsurgical procedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables correction of severe kyphosis through variable angle screw fixation without requiring complete pedicle-subtraction osteotomy. The system achieves sufficient correction (4-40 degrees lordosis) through optimized screw placement and locking mechanisms, providing partial action that is adequate for the intended purpose while avoiding the excessive complexity of complete osteotomy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3285666B1Spinal implant system
Publication Date: 2022.06.01 WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC INC
  • EP3285666B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3285666B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3285666B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A method for treating a spine is provided. The method includes the steps of: disposing an interbody implant adjacent a first vertebral surface and a second vertebral surface of an intervertebral disc space, the interbody implant engaging the vertebral surfaces at a selected angular orientation; connecting the interbody implant with at least one of the vertebral surfaces via at least one fastener that is engaged with the interbody implant and fixed with the vertebral surface such that the at least one fastener is movable to a plurality of axial orientations relative to the interbody implant; and manipulating the vertebral surfaces such that the at least one fastener is fixed relative to the interbody implant. Spinal implants, surgical instruments and systems are disclosed.