Artificial Vertebral Joint with Posterior Support Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spinal arthroplasty devices and methods fail to effectively address degenerative changes, discogenic pain, and facet joint issues in the lumbar spine, often resulting in spinal stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, and loss of motion, as they do not provide the necessary balance between stability and mobility.
Innovation Solution
An artificial vertebral joint is interposed between superior and inferior vertebrae, comprising a rostral and caudal joint component with a spacer, and support tabs that extend posteriorly to engage the endplates, allowing for limited movement while distributing loads and preventing subsidence, and can include pedicle screws or tension bands for additional fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional spinal arthroplasty devices are used, then spinal stability is improved, but spinal mobility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The artificial vertebral joint incorporates a mobile bearing mechanism that allows dynamic motion between the rostral and caudal joint components. The bearing can rotate or translate within defined limits, enabling the device to transition from a static stable structure to a dynamic system that preserves physiological spinal movement while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the mechanical parameters of the spinal joint by introducing controlled degrees of freedom. The mobile bearing allows specific motions (rotation, translation) while constraining others, effectively changing the joint's mobility parameters from fixed to selectively movable, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and mobility.
2Reliability
If support tabs are extended to engage endplates, then subsidence is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: the rostral joint component, caudal joint component, mobile bearing, and support tabs. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the support tabs specifically engage the endplates to prevent subsidence, while the mobile bearing specifically provides motion, simplifying the design of each individual component.
Solution Approach 2:
The support tabs act as intermediary elements between the joint components and the vertebral endplates. They mediate the load transfer and provide mechanical engagement without requiring direct complex integration between the joint components and bone, thus preventing subsidence while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
3Ease of operation
If posterior approach is used for implantation, then surgical access is improved, but visualization of disc space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of approaching the disc space from the anterior side where visualization is better, the device is designed to be implanted from the posterior approach. The device structure is inverted or reconfigured to allow posterior insertion, with components that can be delivered through the posterior surgical corridor while still achieving proper positioning in the disc space.
Data Source
AI summary
An artificial vertebral joint is interposed between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra. The artificial vertebral joint comprises a rostral joint component having a first surface adapted for engagement with an endplate of the superior vertebra, a first anterior articulation surface, and a support tab adapted for extending from the first surface and for engaging a portion of the endplate. The portion of the endplate extends from the first surface to a posterior edge of the endplate. The joint further comprises a caudal joint component having a second surface adapted for engagement with an endplate of the inferior vertebra and a spacer component adapted for interposition between the rostral joint component and the caudal joint component.