Kaufman Models of Minimally Invasive Progressive Distraction Devices

These proposed surgical distraction devices together with the anatomical models were designed, modeled, simulated, and prototyped by Dr. Roger E. Kaufman with surgical collaboration and advice from Anthony D. Sandler, M.D., Senior Vice President of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care at Children's National Health System. U.S. Patent Application Docket 61/828,656 “Surgical Distraction Device With External Activation”, Roger E. Kaufman and Anthony D. Sandler (Assigned to Children's National Medical Center) is based on some of this work

Key to these devices is the idea of gradually correcting the patient's malformation at multiple points over a period of time without additional invasive surgery, thereby minimizing pain and trauma. The proposed system would be inserted and removed using minimally invasive techniques. A programmable external control system would be used by the doctor over a period of weeks or months to incrementally adjust the implanted actuator.

Note: These videos show proposed preliminary concepts for devices which might be developed for treating diseases involving malformations such as scoliosis and pectus excavatum or pectus carinatum. They have not been tested in animals or humans or developed to the point of clinical trials. Years of further development work and clinical testing would be required to determine their safety or efficacy.

Kaufman torsional distraction device for progressive non-coplanar distraction