Measurement problems are common when a person’s spinal vertebra needs to be replaced. It is not very easy to find a replacement that suits the needs of the patient. However, this situation can be resolved with the most recent invention patent granted to researchers at Universidad EAFIT.
Most of the implants on the market are manufactured in standard sizes and are made based on the body structure of European and North American people, says Santiago Correa Velez, an EAFIT researcher who is part of the group that designed an implant which not only adapts to the natural curvature of the spine, but can also be custom-made for each patient.
A patent was granted to the EAFIT Bioengineering Research Group (GIB by its acronym in Spanish) for this invention. This patent was issued by the Colombian Superintendence of Industry and Commerce through Resolution number 47595. The document dated August 3rd of 2017 acknowledges the work done by inventors Santiago Correa Velez, Juan Felipe Isaza Saldarriaga and Carlos Mario Jiménez Yepes.
The document emphasizes that an invention patent is granted for the development entitled Implant for vertebral body replacement, specifically, the implant that adapts to Cobb curvature and the procedure to tailor it to each individual, explains Bioengineer Santiago.
According to the researcher, this customization has great advantages in terms of the cost of the devices and the patient’s safety. In a vertebral body replacement procedure, surgeons must try one or several pieces until they find the one that best fits the space. Each piece can cost around 2.000 dollars and it should be discarded if it is found that is not the most appropriate one after being tested.
The patent, which is valid until November 19th, 2035, contributes to safety because with a tailor-made piece, without the need to test one or several ones, the exposure time of the spine is lowered, along with the infection or fluid leakage risks that are involved.
Based on those advantages, researchers augur well for the future of this implant, which will be included in the list of EAFIT Customlife spin-off products, where other products such as tailor-made cranial and maxillofacial implants and brain stents developed in partnership with Universidad CES and Universidad de Antioquia are marketed.
The invention patent of this device, which was conceived in Peek polymer to be friendly with the bone with which it will be in contact, meets the academic role of proving that the research conducted at the University transcends its facilities and reaches society, as stated by Santiago Correa.
This year, the GIB, which was created 18 years ago in conjunction with Universidad CES for the development of technology applied to the health sector, received additional proof of the significance of its work when the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce awarded them a patent on May 8 for the Flow restrictor device in brain aneurysms, and positioner-releaser set of the device.
Felix Londoño González, director of Research at EAFIT, highlights the University’s outlook in the field by stating that "much progress has been made in the process of protecting and registering new inventions. Also, we are trying to find the way in which those research outcomes can be used and transferred to society. In addition, we have achieved awareness, a research culture at a very early age through the Children’s University and research incubator programs for children and youngsters, respectively. In research, we show a very positive attitude with a great deal of confidence because I believe that significant progress has been achieved in this regard."
Mayores informes para periodistas
Alejandro Gómez Valencia
Área de Información y Prensa EAFIT
Teléfono: 574 2619500 ext. 9931
Correo electrónico: jgomez97@eafit.edu.co