Percutaneous Vertebral Stabilization via Segmented Anchor Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional spine surgery methods, particularly pedicle screw fixation with deep rod placement, pose challenges for minimally invasive approaches, leading to tissue damage, blood loss, and longer recovery times, as they require large incisions and extensive muscle dissection.

Innovation Solution

A percutaneous vertebral stabilization system involving polyaxial screws and a stabilization member insertion device that allows for the placement of anchors through small incisions, enabling the stabilization member to be rotated and positioned independently of linear movement, facilitating minimally invasive procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional pedicle screw fixation with deep rod placement is used, then vertebral stabilization is achieved, but large incisions and extensive muscle dissection are required causing soft tissue damage and blood loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertebral stabilizationVSAvoidsoft tissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The procedure is divided into separate stages: first placing anchors through small percutaneous incisions, then later inserting the stabilization member through a separate small incision. This segmentation allows vertebral stabilization to be achieved without requiring large incisions and extensive muscle dissection, thereby reducing soft tissue damage while maintaining stabilization reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Anchors are placed in advance through small percutaneous incisions before the stabilization member is inserted. This preliminary action allows the anchors to be positioned and secured first, enabling the stabilization member to be inserted later through a separate small incision, avoiding the need for large incisions while ensuring proper anchor placement for effective stabilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If conventional pedicle screw fixation is used, then vertebral stabilization is achieved, but recovery time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertebral stabilizationVSAvoidrecovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the procedure into separate stages with small percutaneous incisions rather than a single large incision, the surgical trauma is minimized. This segmentation approach reduces postoperative pain and facilitates earlier mobilization, thereby shortening recovery time while maintaining effective vertebral stabilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The incision size parameter is changed from large (conventional) to small (percutaneous). This parameter change reduces surgical trauma to soft tissues, decreases postoperative complications, and accelerates patient recovery while still achieving the required vertebral stabilization through proper anchor and stabilization member placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If stabilization member is inserted through access sleeve, then minimally invasive approach is achieved, but precise positioning and orientation control becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoft tissue damageVSAvoidstabilization member positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A guide wire is used as an intermediary tool to establish the precise trajectory and positioning before inserting the stabilization member through the access sleeve. The guide wire allows accurate positioning to be achieved despite the minimally invasive approach, as it can be precisely placed fluoroscopically guided and serves as a roadmap for subsequent stabilization member insertion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Direct manual positioning of the stabilization member is replaced by fluoroscopic imaging guidance. The fluoroscopy system provides real-time visual feedback, allowing precise positioning and orientation control of the stabilization member as it is inserted through the access sleeve, compensating for the reduced tactile feedback inherent in percutaneous approaches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11510704B2Percutaneous vertebral stabilization system

Publication Date: 2022.11.29 GLOBUS MEDICAL INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for percutaneously installing a vertebral stabilization system. A first anchor is positionable within a body of a patient through a first percutaneous opening and a second anchor is positionable within a body of a patient through a second percutaneous opening. A stabilization member is positionable within the body of a patient through the first percutaneous opening to engage and connect the first and second anchors.