Fujian Medical University Union Hospital to Transfer Cervical Surgery Retractor Patent for RMB 301,000
Recently, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University released a public notice on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, announcing its intention to transfer said achievements through listed trading.“An Adjustable Retractor for Cervical Spine Surgery”The relevant patents were assigned to the industry partner, with a transfer amount ofRMB 301,000. The inventors of this patent areProfessor Xu Weihong and her team。
Xu Weihong:Director of the Department of Spinal Surgery and Chief Physician at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, with over 40 years of clinical experience in spinal surgery. He has personally performed nearly 30,000 spinal surgeries, including more than 1,000 minimally invasive and corrective procedures annually. His expertise covers minimally invasive spine surgery and deformity correction, with a particular focus on the minimally invasive treatment of cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, and complex spinal disorders. He has utilized 3D-printed interbody fusion cages to perform high-risk surgeries for atlantoaxial dislocation. Holding 12 academic positions, including Director of the Fujian Provincial Center for Quality Control in Spinal Endoscopy, he has presided over research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and provincial authorities. He developed a novel lateral lumbar interbody fusion and internal fixation system, received three Second-Class Awards for Scientific and Technological Progress from Fujian Province, and published more than 10 SCI-indexed papers. In 2018, he led the team that performed China’s first robot-assisted spinal surgery, employingIsrael’s “Renaissance” Surgical Robot Boosts Screw Placement Accuracy to 98.3%, this technology was listed as a demonstration project for orthopedic innovation in Fujian Province. He/She led the formulation of quality control standards for spinal endoscopy and trained over 300 grassroots physicians annually.
The core of this invention lies in addressing the limitations of traditional cervical retractors, such as limited retraction range, inadequate exposure of the surgical field in multi-level procedures, and the tendency of soft tissues to protrude into the surgical field through gaps in the retractor. It provides a more flexible and efficient solution for tissue retraction in cervical spine surgery.
The successful execution of cervical spine surgery highly depends on the precision and effectiveness of tissue retraction, requiring the use of retractors to fully expose the surgical field and protect surrounding tissues. However, existing cervical retractors present numerous significant problems in clinical practice, severely limiting surgical efficiency and safety.
The cervical spine has a unique anatomical structure, and the surgical wound space is limited. This is especially true in cases such as multi-level anterior cervical surgery, which places higher demands on the retraction range. Traditional cervical retractors are mostly of fixed structure, with a constant tissue retraction range that cannot flexibly adapt to the retraction needs of different surgical sites and segments, thus making it difficult to fully expose the surgical field.
FromTechnical LevelFrom this perspective, the structural design of existing cervical retractors has obvious limitations.
On the one hand, traditional retractors lack multi-dimensional adjustment capabilities.In the longitudinal dimension, it is not possible to flexibly adjust the insertion depth of the hook head and the overall length; in the transverse dimension, it is difficult to expand the coverage area of retraction. Therefore, its adaptability is poor when facing complex surgical scenarios. Especially in multi-level anterior cervical spine surgery, the retraction range of a single retractor is limited, making it difficult to meet the needs for extensive tissue retraction.
On the other hand, in certain scenarios, multiple retractors need to be used in combination to expand the retraction area.However, natural gaps exist between retractors. During retraction, soft tissues tend to protrude into the surgical field through these gaps, thereby obstructing the surgical view, compromising operational precision, and increasing the risk of iatrogenic tissue injury.
Furthermore, the design of existing retractor adjustment and fixation mechanisms is not sufficiently user-friendly, making it difficult to rapidly respond to dynamic requirements during surgical procedures. Surgeons must spend additional time adjusting the position of the retractors, which indirectly prolongs the duration of the surgery.
These issues directly limit the efficiency of clinical surgeries. Inadequate exposure of the surgical field reduces the precision of surgical maneuvers and increases procedural difficulty; soft tissue protruding into the surgical field is prone to causing operational errors, thereby elevating intraoperative risks and the likelihood of postoperative complications.
For complex cervical spine procedures, such as multilevel anterior cervical surgery, existing retractors fail to meet the core clinical requirements for flexibility and range of retraction, as well as surgical field clarity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a novel retraction device with multidimensional adjustability that can prevent soft tissue from bulging into the intervertebral space, thereby overcoming the key bottlenecks in surgical manipulation.
This innovation specifically addresses the technical limitations of traditional retractors, offering significant advantages in adaptability, surgical field maintenance, and operational ease, thereby providing a more efficient and safe retraction solution for cervical spine surgery.
FromStructural Innovation PerspectiveIn this regard, the patent employs a multi-dimensional adjustable design to achieve flexible adaptation of the traction range.
On one hand, the L-shaped retractor features a telescopic connection structure between the hook head and the handle plate, allowing for free longitudinal adjustment of both the depth to which the hook head is inserted into the surgical incision and the overall length of the retractor. This enables surgeons to make precise adjustments based on the depth of the surgical site and operational distance requirements, thereby accommodating anatomical variations among different patients and diverse surgical scenarios.
On the other hand, the expansion block of the L-shaped retractor and the extension block of the hook head constitute a dual lateral expansion mechanism, which can rapidly enlarge the retraction coverage area through rotation or sliding. This design easily meets the extensive retraction requirements for multi-level anterior cervical surgeries, eliminating the need for multiple retractors to work in coordination.
Furthermore, the patent balances practicality and safety in its detailed design.
Both the expansion block and the extension block are adoptedIpsilateral Close Appositiondesign, which can completely prevent soft tissue from protruding into the surgical field through component gaps during lateral expansion, ensuring a clear and unobstructed surgical field and reducing the risk of intraoperative operational errors.
Meanwhile, both the telescopic adjustment and extension structures are equipped with reliable fixation devices.The latch engages with the socket,For fixing the telescopic length;The拨块 and the限位柱 are combined,Used to lock the position of the extension block. This ensures the stability of the retractor during surgery while simplifying the operational workflow, allowing surgeons to quickly switch between different working states, thereby improving surgical efficiency.
These advantages directly optimize the clinical surgical experience: retractors with multi-dimensional adjustment capabilities can dynamically adapt to varying requirements throughout the procedure, thereby reducing the frequency of instrument exchanges; a seamless fit design completely resolves the issue of soft tissue protruding into the surgical field through gaps, significantly enhancing visual clarity; and user-friendly operation and fixation structures help reduce operational complexity for surgeons, shortening both preparation and procedural time.
For complex cervical spine surgeries, this patented technology not only overcomes the functional limitations of traditional retractors but also achieves a dual enhancement in retraction efficacy and operational safety through structural innovation, providing robust support for the precise execution of cervical spine procedures.
Currently, in response to the core demands for flexibility and adaptability of retraction tools in cervical spine surgery, medical enterprises and research institutions have initiated relevant technological R&D and product portfolio development.
Beijing Zhongnuo Hengkang Biotechnology Co., Ltd.Launched“Novel Built-in Cold Light Source Cervical Spine Surgical Retractor”, its core advantage lies in the integration of an optical fiber bundle within the inner side of the lateral retractor blade, which enhances illumination intensity in the surgical field via a cold light source, thereby assisting physicians in accurately identifying anatomical structures; however, this product does not feature multidimensional adjustment capabilities for the retraction range.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityAs a benchmark institution for clinical orthopedic research in China, it launched in 2015“Cervical Spine Surgery Mobile Retractor” Technique. The core of this technology lies in the coordination between steel wire ropes and adjustment sleeves, enabling flexible adjustment of traction length and addressing the issue of inflexibility associated with traditional retractor operations.
As multi-dimensional adjustment structures, such as longitudinal telescoping and lateral expansion, are increasingly implemented in patented technologies, clinical expectations for retractors to adapt to different surgical procedures and patient cervical anatomies are evolving into clear directions for technical breakthroughs. Consequently, the key focal point for the next round of competition among enterprises and research institutions will be how to balance tissue protection safety and operational convenience while enhancing adjustment functionality.