Adjustable Vertebral Implant Alignment for Deformity Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for degenerative spinal conditions such as degenerative scoliosis and vertebral fractures often lead to further deterioration of adjacent levels, necessitating additional surgeries due to inadequate addressing of the underlying misalignment and stress transfer, with limited surgical options providing lasting symptom relief.

Innovation Solution

A vertebral implant system comprising adjustable staples and vertical members, allowing for adjustable dimensions and angles to correct both sagittal and coronal deformities through osteotomy, with adjustable components like ratchet assemblies or turnbuckles for precise alignment adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If decompression without fusion is performed to relieve nerve root compression, then surgical invasiveness is reduced, but the risk of deformity progression increases and outcomes deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical invasivenessVSAvoidoutcome reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The implant system incorporates adjustable elements including telescopic rods with ratchet mechanisms and turnbuckles that allow post-operative adjustment of correction forces and alignment, enabling the system to adapt dynamically as bone healing progresses and preventing deformity recurrence

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows modification of mechanical parameters such as rod length, tension, and angular orientation through adjustable components, enabling optimization of corrective forces applied to the osteotomized vertebral body over time to ensure stable correction without excessive surgical intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If limited fusion is performed to address specific segments, then the scope of surgery is reduced, but adjacent level deterioration occurs due to stress transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefusion scopeVSAvoidadjacent level stress

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The implant system is divided into modular components including separate osteotomy fixation elements, adjustable rods, and connection interfaces that can be independently configured to address specific pathological segments while preserving motion at adjacent levels through controlled flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies correction forces and stabilization specifically at the targeted osteotomized segment through locally anchored staples and screws, while the adjustable rod construction allows differential stiffness to protect adjacent levels from excessive stress transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If extensive fusion is performed to correct alignment, then spinal stability is improved, but adjacent level disease develops from increased stress on unfused segments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespinal stabilityVSAvoidadjacent level stress

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable rod system with ratchet and turnbuckle mechanisms provides progressive stabilization that can be titrated to match bone healing progress, maintaining adequate support during early phases while gradually transitioning load to healing bone, thereby protecting adjacent levels from premature excessive stress

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies correction forces that may initially exceed the ultimate requirement to ensure adequate alignment and stability during the critical early healing period, then allows reduction of corrective force through adjustable mechanisms once bone union is achieved, preventing over-correction and adjacent level overload

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Manufacturing precision

If adjustable components are incorporated to correct deformity, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidimplant structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ratchet mechanisms and turnbuckles provide controlled adjustability with defined increments, allowing precise alignment correction through simple rotational motions rather than complex multi-degree-of-freedom mechanisms, maintaining relative structural simplicity while achieving high positioning accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12491078B2Vertebral implant system and methods of use

Publication Date: 2025.12.09 FOUNDATION SURGICAL GRP INC

AI summary

A vertebral implant system is provided comprising an upper staple, a lower staple and a vertical member. In some embodiments, the vertical member is a plate. In some embodiments, the plate further comprises an offset guide that defines an offset dimension to contribute to a correction of an alignment of a vertebral body. In some embodiments, the staple defines an offset dimension to contribute to a correction of an alignment of a vertebral body. In some embodiments, the vertebral implant system is configured to be installed from an anterior, oblique, or lateral angle to the vertebral body. In some embodiments, a self adjusting screw plate alignment system is provided comprising a bone screw having threaded and tip portions, a plate with a through hole, a locking element and a securing element configured to frictionally anchor the tip portion of the bone screw in the plate through hole.