Vertebral Body Shaver With Pivoting Blade Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current spinal surgical instruments are bulky and cumbersome, making them difficult to maneuver in limited surgical spaces during minimally invasive spine surgery, particularly in interbody fusion procedures, where a need exists for a vertebral body endplate shaver that can be inserted in a non-expanded condition and adjusted for shaving without expanding the surgical site.

Innovation Solution

A vertebral body shaver assembly with a shaver inserter and instrument featuring a blade support device that pivots about a pivot axis, allowing the instrument to be inserted in a non-expanded condition and expanded for shaving, maintaining the pivot axis perpendicular to the vertebral body endplates, with a footprint area ratio of at least 1.05, enabling effective osteochondral material removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional spinal surgical instruments are used, then osteochondral material can be removed from vertebral body endplates, but the instruments are bulky and difficult to maneuver in limited surgical spaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaneuverability in surgical spaceVSAvoidinstrument size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shaver instrument employs a dynamic blade support device that can pivot about a pivot axis, allowing the instrument to transition between a non-expanded condition for insertion and an expanded condition for effective shaving operation. This dynamic adjustment enables the instrument to adapt its size to the surgical space requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shaver instrument is designed to be inserted into the intradiscal space in a non-expanded, compact condition, similar to a nested doll structure. Once positioned, the blade support device is deployed to an expanded condition, allowing the blades to extend into the operative position while remaining contained within the same insertion pathway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If the shaver instrument is expanded for effective shaving, then osteochondral material removal efficiency improves, but the surgical site expansion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveosteochondral material removal efficiencyVSAvoidsurgical site footprint area

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The blade support device dynamically transitions between retracted and extended positions, allowing the instrument to achieve an expanded effective footprint area (A2) of at least 1.05 times the inserted footprint area (A1) only when needed for shaving, while maintaining a compact profile during insertion and when not in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shaver instrument is segmented into a shaver housing and a separately pivotable blade support device. This segmentation allows the blade support device to be independently deployed to increase the effective footprint area for shaving while the main instrument body remains compact and positioned within the limited surgical space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the blade support device is made pivotal to enable expansion, then maneuverability and adaptability improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability between non-expanded and expanded conditionsVSAvoidpivoting mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade support device is connected to the shaver housing via a pivot connection that allows rotational movement about a pivot axis perpendicular to the vertebral body endplates. This simple pivotal joint provides the necessary adaptability to transition between non-expanded and expanded conditions without requiring complex multi-component mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The pivotal blade support device serves multiple functions: it enables the instrument to be inserted in a compact non-expanded condition, allows deployment to an expanded condition for effective shaving, and maintains the pivot axis perpendicular to the endplates throughout the motion. This single pivoting mechanism accomplishes multiple operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11253371B2Vertebral body shaver assembly

Publication Date: 2022.02.22 FABIAN JR HENRY F

AI summary

A vertebral body shaver assembly may include a shaver inserter and a shaver instrument. The shaver inserter may be used to insert the shaver instrument into an intradiscal space between vertebral body endplates in a non-expanded condition with a footprint area A1. The shaver instrument may then be adjusted into a to an expanded condition with a footprint area A2that is greater than footprint area A1. As the shaver instrument is adjusted into the expanded condition, at least one blade may shave osteochondral material off at least one of the first vertebral body endplates.