Vertebral Interbody Compression Implant with Movable Bone Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical procedures for spinal stabilization, such as PLIF, ALIF, TLIF, and XLIF, face challenges in accessing and securely attaching implants between vertebrae due to complex spinal anatomy and the risk of nerve damage, particularly in achieving stable fusion and minimizing nerve compression.
Innovation Solution
A vertebral interbody compression implant with a moveable housing and slideably, rotatably coupled bone engagement members, which are deployed using a force transfer mechanism to securely attach and compress adjacent vertebrae, allowing for bone fusion while minimizing nerve disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical approaches (PLIF, ALIF, TLIF, XLIF) are used to access the disc space, then the implant can be placed between vertebrae, but the surgical complexity increases and nerve root disruption risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The implant incorporates movable bone engagement members that can be deployed after insertion into the disc space. These members transition from a retracted state during insertion to an extended state for engagement with the vertebral bodies, allowing the implant to adapt to the surgical environment and reduce nerve root disruption while maintaining placement stability
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into distinct functional components: a housing containing the bone engagement members, a force transfer mechanism for deploying the members, and the bone engagement members themselves. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the insertion process while ensuring reliable engagement
2Strength
If bone engagement members are extended to compress vertebrae, then vertebral stabilization is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force transfer mechanism is designed to be actuated by the surgeon through simple manual manipulation or a simple external actuator. The mechanism automatically converts this input force into the appropriate motion to extend the bone engagement members and compress the vertebral bodies, eliminating the need for complex automated control systems while maintaining strong compression force
Solution Approach 2:
The force transfer mechanism serves as an intermediary between the surgeon's simple actuation input and the complex motion required to extend multiple bone engagement members. It translates the simple actuating force into coordinated movement of the engagement members, reducing the perceived complexity for the surgeon while achieving the desired strong vertebral compression
3Ease of operation
If the implant is inserted from the disc space, then direct access to vertebrae is achieved, but surgical access difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bone engagement members are designed to be inserted in a retracted or collapsed state within the housing, allowing the implant to pass through the disc space without disrupting nerve roots. Once the implant is in position, the members are extended to engage the vertebral bodies, performing the engagement action after the hazardous insertion phase is complete
Solution Approach 2:
The bone engagement members are nested within the housing during insertion, with each member contained within the implant structure. This nesting allows the implant to navigate the disc space without the engagement members protruding and contacting nerve roots, eliminating nerve compression risk during the critical insertion phase while maintaining ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for securing boney structures is disclosed which includes a compression mechanism and a force transfer mechanism. The compression mechanism may have bone engagement members that have one portion slideably coupled to a housing positioned within the implant and another portion rotatably coupled to the implant so that a movement of the housing causes the slideable portion to move within the housing and a penetrating member to rotate about the rotatably coupled portion. The force transfer mechanism may be coupled to the compression mechanism to move the housing.